Start Over
by ForeverRobsessed
Summary: One and a half years ago, I'd made a mistake, one that I'd immediately regretted. It was time to correct it now. I'd been given a second chance and I won't let it go. This time, I won't let her go. [AH, EPOV] ***Winner of Twific Fandom Award 2015 - 3rd place - Favorite Undiscovered Gem***
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there! This story started off as an entry for the May To December Romance contest, but RL didn't let me complete this O/S in time for the submissions. So, then, I decided to start posting this only once I had finished writing the entire story. But, today I woke up to the most pleasant surprise... I won 3rd place in the Favorite Undiscovered Author in the Fanatic Fanfic Multifandom Awards! It is the first time I've won something in the fanfic world... I couldn't just let the day go without posting something to thank all you wonderful readers for your support.**

 **Long story short, I am still working on this story, so I cannot promise you regular updates at this point. That said, I should have some free time after my exams, so hopefully, I can write more then.**

 **I'm always grateful to Dazzled Eyes22 for pre-reading and giving me her valuable feedback!**

 **Twilightfanatic85, aka Melissa, is my lovely beta who wielded her red ink on this one ;)**

 **Thank you for paying attention to my ramblings. Now let's go meet my Olderward!**

* * *

I plopped down on the couch in the doctor's lounge, exhausted beyond measure. I'd been at the hospital performing back-to-back surgeries for fifteen hours. Now finally, all the casualties from the massive multi-car pileup had been brought in and the last few were being operated upon.

I'd been trying to muster up some energy to grab myself a much needed bottle of water when the door opened behind me. I didn't have to look to see who came in because a giant paw cuffed me on the back and I had to brace myself to keep from pitching forward with the weight.

A voice I knew all too well boomed, "You done already, Dr. Cullen? No more brains that need fixing?"

"They're all done," I answered him without opening my eyes. "What about you?"

"Just repaired a broken hip. The remaining are all bumps and bruises. Dr. Crowley can handle those. I'm ready to get out of here."

"Me too," I sighed. "Hey Em, can you grab me some water?"

I heard the fridge door being open and shut and two seconds later, I grunted as a chilled bottle hit me in the chest.

Finally, I opened my eyes to meet the twinkling blue ones of my best friend. I opened the seal and chugged down the glorious liquid, all the while glaring at him.

"So, about getting out of here," he started. "What do you say to a boys' night out? You, me and Jasper. Let's hit some clubs! We need to get you some pussy."

I let out a frustrated groan. "Why do you have to be so crude?"

"Man, you gotta pull that stick out of your ass!" He shook his head at me. "How long has it been since you got laid? We're going out tonight."

"I can't, Emmett. I'm beat. Some other time."

He was silent for a minute, then sighed and took a seat across from me. "What the fuck happened in Forks, Edward?"

My eyes widened as I looked at him in shock.

Emmett just rolled his eyes at me. "Did you think I wouldn't make the connection? I may act like a goof, but I'm not an idiot. You've been a moody fucker ever since you got back from there. You didn't want to talk about it, so I respected your privacy and left you alone. But it's been more than a year, Edward."

I had to look away from his concerned gaze.

I knew how long it'd been. Exactly one and a half year. No, I hadn't told anyone about Forks. It was not something I wanted to talk about. One and a half years ago, I'd made a decision, one that I'd immediately regretted. I couldn't do anything about it now. I'd done irreparable damage to someone I probably lo—

My eyes squeezed shut as I blocked that thought. I'd not allowed myself to think about it all this time because I knew I'd tumble down an abyss of pain if I let my mind go there.

Emmett continued. "You went there to, in your own words, clear your head after the divorce. I thought that when you returned, you'll get back in the game and be my wingman again. But you came back even more sullen than you'd been with Ice Queen Irina. What happened, man?"

I'd regained my composure while he spoke, so I turned to him, my usual mask of indifference firmly in place. "You're making a mountain out of a mole hill, Em. Nothing happened. I went to Forks to spend some time with my parents and for a much needed change of scenery. I'm just not ready to start dating again. And no, I don't want a meaningless fuck," I added, anticipating his next argument when he opened his mouth to speak.

He huffed. "This isn't about Irina, is it? You're over her?"

He couldn't have been further from the truth. "This has nothing to do with wanting to get back with Irina. But she cheated on me, Emmett. I need time to get over _that_."

"Well, I think this has gone on for too damn long. You need to talk to someone if you're not able to work it out on your own. If not me, talk to Jasper. Or a therapist. Whatever works. But do something about it, or I will. I won't let you waste your life over that selfish bitch."

I cracked a smile. "I'll think about it. I will," I asserted as he still looked at me dubiously.

Finally, he sighed. "Alright. Enough of the heavy. But I'm not going to let this go. Remember that."

I shook my head, exasperated at his persistence. However, some part of me was glad to have such a loyal friend in my life.

He left me alone as we both moved to our lockers and changed out of the scrubs into our own clothes.

"Where is Jasper anyway? He told me he was done an hour ago," Emmett asked me as we walked out of the room.

"I have no idea. Maybe he got pulled into an emergency."

Just then, my pager buzzed. I looked at it and frowned, wondering why I was required at the nurses' station in the ER, but I headed in that direction and Emmett followed.

"Dr. Cullen! Thank God!" Nurse Stanley sighed in relief. "I've been trying to get hold of Dr. Whitlock for the last twenty minutes but he's not answering his pages. Not taking calls either. Do you know where he is?"

Em and I shook our heads. "No, we've been looking for him, too. He hasn't been pulled into a surgery, has he?"

"No, doctor. I checked the records. He's not in any OR. The EMTs are bringing in another victim. The girl had been trapped under a lot of debris and they didn't even know she was there until one of them heard a low groan. She's bound to require a general surgeon and everyone except Dr. Whitlock is busy. The ambulance will be here any minute now," she fretted.

I took out my phone and tried calling Jasper, but there was no reply. There was only one place he could be, if he wasn't in the OR, though.

"On-call room," Emmett muttered, voicing my thoughts.

Ever since Jasper had started dating Maria, the new Peds resident, they'd been fucking at every opportunity they got. For two weeks, I'd heard him gloat about her voracious sexual appetite and how he was making the most of it.

There was nothing like TMI in Jasper's life.

"They're here!" Jessica's exclamation interrupted my train of thought, as did the sirens of the ambulance.

I quickly turned to Emmett. "You go look for Jasper, I'll examine the girl." He nodded and hurried away.

Jessica handed me a trauma gown that I quickly put on and we rushed toward the doors just as the ambulance pulled in.

I recognized the EMT that got out first. "Hey Mitch. What do we got?"

He nodded in greeting and narrated the patient's vitals. "Dr. Cullen. 19 year old female with extensive crush injuries, BP 90 over 60, pulse is 65, pupils equal and reactive, pulse ox is 96…"

I backed up a bit as another paramedic began helping Mitch in getting the stretcher out. Once it was settled, I turned my attention to the patient and my world came crashing down.

 _Bella_

I froze, every cell of my body locking in place as my eyes roamed over her features.

Her soft, mahogany locks I'd run my fingers through.

Her clear, pale skin that I'd brushed with the pad of my fingers.

Her bow-shaped lips that I'd kissed with all my heart.

Her soulful, brown eyes that I knew always revealed her emotions.

 _Bella_

And then, I registered the circumstances that had made it possible for me to see her again.

She was lying on the stretcher, her neck firmly secured, to avoid any further injury if it was broken.

Her dark locks were tangled and matted with blood.

Her delicate skin was marred by bruises that covered almost all of her face.

Her lips were slightly parted, but they were pale and dry.

And her eyes…They weren't sparkling with life. They were closed.

 _Because she'd been unconscious ever since she'd been rescued from underneath—_

"Edward! Dude, are you alright?" Emmett's panicked voice finally broke through the haze that surrounded my mind and I started.

I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what had happened in the last couple of minutes.

Emmett grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. "Calm down, Edward. You're going to hyperventilate. Relax."

I forced myself to focus on the sound of his voice and try to comprehend what he was saying.

Eventually, my breathing slowed and I became more aware of my surroundings. I looked around wildly, but there was just the two of us in the ambulance bay now.

"Bella!" I gasped. "Where is she?"

I attempted to go inside, but Emmett frowned, not loosening his hold on me. "What are you talking about? What the fuck is going on?"

"Where's the patient who just came in? Where's Bella?" I repeated desperately, as I felt tears prick at the corner of my eyes.

"They took her in. Trauma room. Jasper's working on her. Edward-"

I shoved him away and ran in, heading for the trauma room.

The blinds were not drawn, so I peeked in through the window. I didn't dare to go inside because I knew I'd only hinder the doctors and nurses who were trying to save her life.

My breath hitched and a sob ripped through my chest as I saw them shock her with the defibrillator.

I heard Jasper's voice ring out loud and clear.

 _"_ _Charge to 200. Clear"_

Her chest rose and fell once, but the monitor still beeped with a flat line.

 _"_ _Push another epi. Charge to 300. Clear."_

I didn't look away from the monitor as her heart was jolted with another shock. There was no change for three more seconds and my vision blurred with thick tears rolling down my face.

 _Beep…Beep…Beep_

I let out a strangled breath as the monitor came to life, her heart starting to beat on its own again. It was still quite slow, but it would give the doctors time to assess her injuries and take her into the operating room.

My eyes squeezed shut and I turned around, my head falling back to lean against the glass. I took in a shuddering breath and let it out slowly, trying to come to terms with what was happening.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and opened my eyes when I heard footsteps come to stand still in front of me.

For the second time in the day, Emmett was looking at me with deep concern in his eyes. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out. My knees gave out and I staggered. Emmett steadied me and began to speak, but just then the door opened and my eyes met nurse Shelley's as she quickly pushed Bella's gurney towards the OR. The other orderlies followed her.

Jasper came out then. He shook his head and let out a deep breath. "Shit! That was touch and go." He looked at me and whatever he saw made his eyes widen and his mouth fell open. "Edward? What's wrong?"

"How is she? What's happened to her?" I choked out past the lump in my throat, my voice hoarse and unrecognizable to my own ears.

Jasper frowned. "Who are you talking about? The patient?"

I nodded.

"You know her? Who is she?"

"Just tell me what's wrong with her Jasper. _Please_ ," I begged.

He blinked once, registering the desperation that must have been clear in my eyes and replied, "From what I could see, she's covered in bruises and lacs, but there's no sign of head injury. I couldn't ascertain more because she coded. We shocked the heart back into rhythm, but pulse is still low. Abdomen was rigid, possibly due to internal bleeding. I am taking her in for an exploratory laparotomy. We'll do an ultrasound in the OR."

I vaguely registered Emmett's hand on my shoulder, but my attention was focused solely on Jasper as he described Bella's condition.

"Take care of her, Jasper. You have to fix her. She can't die. Please, you can't let her die," I said, trying to sound forceful, but my voice shook with panic.

"We're ready for you, Dr. Whitlock." We turned at the nurse's voice and Jasper nodded at her.

"I'll do my best, Edward," he said before walking away, still confused about my behavior, but reassuring me nonetheless.

I sat in one of the chairs in the waiting area, my hands fisting in my hair as the last few minutes replayed in my head.

Emmett came and sat beside me silently. I didn't acknowledge him and within a few minutes, his patience ran out.

" _Edward!_ For God's sake, will you tell me what the hell is going on? Who is this girl?"

Finally, I raised my head to look at him. "That's Bella. Isabella Swan. I met her in Forks a year and a half ago," I choked out past the lump in my throat.

Em raised his eyebrows as my words sunk in. "And? It was obviously more than just a meeting. Am I wrong to assume that Isabella Swan is the reason for your emo routine this past year?"

I sighed.

"That's what I thought," Em continued. "There's a story. Even if it's best case scenario here, Jasper is going to be occupied with her for a couple of hours at least. So, you better start talking."

He looked at me expectantly and I could see from the determined set of his mouth that he was not going to back down.

Reluctantly, I cast my mind back to the day I met Bella Swan for the first time.

 _"_ _Good morning, Mom," I said as I descended the stairs of my parents' home._

 _My mother, Esme, was busy setting the table for breakfast. She turned at the sound of my voice and greeted me with a bright smile and a warm hug. "Good morning, sweetheart."_

 _I relaxed in her embrace, the familiar smell of her shampoo comforting me like nothing else could._

 _This was why I'd taken a leave of absence from the hospital for the summer. I needed to clear my head of Irina's clusterfuck. The divorce had been finalized, but the image of my wife being fucked from behind by her assistant when I'd dropped by to surprise her at her office for lunch, was still burned into my memory. I'd needed to get away from New York for a while, and what better place than this tiny, rainy little town in Washington._

 _"_ _I'm so happy you're here, Edward," Mom said, pulling back to look at my face. "You haven't taken a break in years. It will do you a whole lot of good. And I'm especially glad that that bitch is out of your life now. Good riddance."_

 _"_ _Mom!" I gasped. I could count on my hands the number of times I'd heard Mom swear in all my life._

 _"_ _What?" she shrugged lightly. "She hurt my baby. I don't care how old you are, I'll always be protective of you."_

 _I chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that, Mom. I just needed to get away from everything for a while."_

 _"_ _You know you're always welcome here, sweetheart."_

 _I smiled and squeezed her hand gently. "Thank you. So, what's for breakfast?"_

 _"_ _Why, your favorite, of course! It's been too long since I got to feed you that," she said playfully, pinching my cheek as I sat down to eat._

 _I bit into the bread and moaned at the deliciousness that was my Mom's French toast._

 _"_ _Love you, Mom!"_

 _She laughed in response just as Dad walked into the kitchen and kissed her good morning. I smiled wistfully as I looked at them. I'd grown up watching my parents fall more in love with each other every day that they spent together. That was what I wanted for myself. I'd hoped that I'd found it when I'd married Irina, but that relationship had brought me nothing but misery._

 _Maybe someday._

 _Dad and I wished each other a good morning as he sat down to eat across the table from me. I noticed that dark circles under his eyes and frowned._

 _"_ _Dad, have you not been getting enough rest lately? You look tired."_

 _He sighed. "I'm fine, Edward. It's just that the last few days have been a little more hectic than usual at the hospital. Dr. Gerandy has been ill and Dr. Snow has been busy with his daughter's wedding. Nothing I can't handle, though. Don't worry." He gave me a reassuring smile._

 _"_ _Well, why don't I help you out then? I can take a few cases off your back, at least."_

 _"_ _No, son. You're here on vacation. I don't want to bother you with this. Just relax. Like I said, I can manage."_

 _"_ _Yes, I'm on vacation, but what will I do with all my time, Dad? I can finish touring the entire town in an hour or less. There's nothing else to do. I'd love to work at the hospital while I'm here. I already have the license and I'm sure you can get me the hospital privileges."_

 _Mom came and sat beside him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. "You've been working late every day for over a week, Carlisle. Just last night, you were telling me how the kids would be getting in all sorts of trouble now that school's out for the summer. Let Edward help you. Don't worry. I'll make sure he takes enough time off to relax." She winked at me, making me smile._

 _Dad sighed, knowing he would not be able to talk his way out of it once Mom was involved. "I appreciate it, son. Thank you."_

 _I quickly finished my breakfast and got dressed._

 _Twenty minutes later, I was introduced to the nice but nosy, old receptionist of Forks General Hospital, Lauren._

 _"_ _It's so nice to meet you, Dr. Cullen," she said enthusiastically as she shook my hand and then held it tightly in her wrinkled ones, not letting go for a few minutes as she prattled on about how much of an asset my Dad was to the hospital and how glad she was that I'd decided to come work there too._

 _Dad, who was stifling a laugh at my expense throughout the one-sided conversation, finally took pity on me and interrupted her. "There, there Lauren. Edward's just here for the summer. He's taking a break from his busy schedule in New York. I'll need you to get me the documentations for granting him hospital privileges for the duration of his stay."_

 _Lauren went on to express her disappointment over my short-term stay, but Dad deftly reminded her of the patients and she finally told him about the appointments he had for the day.  
_

 _"_ _Oh! Before I forget, Dr. Cullen, Ms. Swan is here. She's waiting for you in your office."_

 _"_ _Alright. Thank you, Lauren. Please send in the patients when I ring the bell."_

 _Giving the old lady a polite smile, I walked with Dad to his office._

 _"_ _Ah, Bella! Your plans in Florida didn't materialize, I presume?" Dad asked as he entered._

 _"_ _No, Dr. Cullen. So, here I am, bright and early," I heard a sweet, low voice reply._

 _Dad moved toward his desk, and that was when I saw her for the first time._

 _It was her hair that caught my attention first. Long, dark, tresses with a gentle waviness. Her skin was almost as pale as mine, delicate, unblemished. Her eyes met mine as she looked away from Dad and I saw bottomless, brown orbs framed by dark lashes._

 _She blinked once, and her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink as I stared unabashedly._

 _"_ _You haven't met my son, have you?" Dad asked her and I snapped out of the trance her beautiful face had put me into. I realized I was still standing at the door, so I walked toward her and put my hand out in greeting._

 _"_ _Hello. I'm Edward Cullen."_

 _"_ _Isabella Swan. It's nice to meet you." She placed her hand in mine and I gently squeezed it, the warmth of her soft skin making me feel…something. A sort of warmth. It wasn't the clichéd "current" travelling up my arm. It was inexplicable, but it was something._

 _Isabella bit her lip and looked away, quickly dropping my hand and left me wondering if she'd felt it too._

 _Dad's voice broke the daze that I'd found myself in. "Bella has just completed her junior year. She's the smartest kid in this town and plans to become a doctor. So, when she asked me if she could spend her free time during the vacation here, I gladly agreed."_

 _"_ _Thank you, Dr. Cullen. I know I hardly have any knowledge about the medical field, but I just want to see how things work here. I won't get in the way, I promise," Bella said earnestly._

 _"_ _I know you won't, dear. You're always welcome to learn. But, as Lauren just informed me, I have three surgeries scheduled for today. I won't be in the clinic, and I don't think we should start your first day with a trip to the OR." Dad turned his gaze to me. "Do you think you can take Bella with you while you work in the clinic, Edward?"_

 _I nodded with forced casualness. "Sure."_

 _"_ _Thank you, Dr. Cullen," Bella said to me, a soft smile tugging at her lips._

 _"_ _Please, Bella, call me Edward."_

 _"_ _Edward." Her voice caressed my name._

 _Together we walked to the clinic. I was only handling Dad's cases, so there were many post-operative patients who'd come for a follow-up._

 _Bella took a seat in the corner of the examination room, notebook and pen in hand._

 _And so it began. A never-ending stream of patients came and went. Every examination I did, I explained some of the basic anatomy to Bella. Her pen flew over the pages as she diligently took notes. Her eyes lit up when I described the practical aspects of medicine, like the procedure of administering an injection and taking samples for lab investigations._

 _A couple of hours later, we took a break. I tried to know more about this anomaly of a teenager._

 _"_ _Tell me something," I questioned. "How come a high school student decides to spend their summer in a hospital?"_

 _I'd hoped that Bella wouldn't be offended by my question, and was relieved when she smiled before answering, "Being a doctor has always been my dream. My Nana was a pediatrician and she loved it. She inspired me. The way she described it made it all sound almost magical. Everything she said about serving people, saving lives, it stuck with me. It's what I want to do with my life," she said. Her face was determined, eyes serious. "I'm not your typical high school kid, I guess. Parties don't interest me. I'd much rather spend some time learning here. I enjoy it and it'll give me an edge over others in med school." Suddenly, she giggled and rolled her eyes. "I'm such a geek."_

 _I chuckled. "Well, I think it's great that you know exactly what you want in your life. Not everyone is able to find where their passion lies at a young age."_

 _Her face lit up with a bright smile and I was lost in the beauty of her shining eyes, until someone knocked on the door, breaking the spell and dragging me back into reality._

"Then what?" Emmett interrupted my narration.

I looked at him and he was leaning forward in his chair, both elbows on his knees and hands cupping his chin. With wide, curious eyes, he looked like a little kid enthralled in a movie.

I shook my head and shrugged. "Then there was more of that for the next four weeks. She'd come with me to the clinic every day and we'd talk. About medicine and about other stuff. We became friends. Everyone here treated me differently once they heard about the divorce and the reason behind it. Bella didn't eye me with pity or false concern. With her, I found myself again. I got back the parts of me that I'd lost after Irina's betrayal. We chatted about nothing and everything. Most of the time, we played This or That and Twenty Questions. She said it was the best way to get to know someone. We had hour long discussions about which was better- Coke or Pepsi, Ketchup or Mustard, Pringles or Lays." I smiled wistfully as I pictured Bella bouncing in her seat, excitedly firing questions at me and the faces she'd make when she didn't agree with my choices.

"She helped me forget, Em. She took me to a lighter, happier place where there were no nasty comments or pointless arguments or fights over who will get what share of the joint account."

I stopped talking for a while, lost in fond memories of my time spent with Bella.

Eventually, Emmett broke the silence. "It wasn't just friendship though, was it? The way you reacted today… She's more than just a friend to you," he said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

"I thought she was beautiful ever since the first time I saw her," I whispered. "But I didn't allow myself to think further along those lines because I knew nothing good would come out of a 32 year old man being attracted to a 17 year old girl. I'd suppressed any such feelings I had toward Bella. Or so I thought."

 _We'd just reached the hospital when Dad's cell chimed with a message. He looked at it while I parked the car._

 _"_ _Oh, it's from Bella," he said and my ears perked up. "She's not coming in today. Something came up."_

 _"_ _What something?" I frowned._

 _"_ _She didn't say."_

 _We got out of the car and he walked to the entrance as usual, humming a happy little tune. I, on the other hand, was freaking out over the "something" that had kept Bella occupied._

 _She didn't say anything about not coming in today. What could have happened in a day? What if something was wrong? Maybe she was sick…_

 _Dad stopped and turned when he realized I was still rooted to the spot beside the car. "You coming, Edward?"_

 _I quickly pulled out my phone and pretended to check it. "I, uh, I just got a message from a friend. I need to go see him."_

 _"_ _Oh, alright. No problem. Take the car. I'll catch a ride with someone."_

 _"_ _You sure, Dad?"_

 _"_ _Yes, of course. Go and have fun. You've been helping me all month. This is the last week you're here. Enjoy yourself," he said and smiled._

 _I bid him goodbye and quickly got into the car. I spent the drive to Bella's house fretting over what-ifs. It was probably an overreaction on my part; Bella was not obligated to spend every day at the hospital, after all. Yet, I couldn't calm the part of my mind that sensed that something was wrong. That nagging voice in my head would quiet only once I'd seen her with my own eyes._

 _It was only when I reached Bella's driveway that I thought about her dad. I had no explanation to give Chief Swan about why I was there. I breathed a sigh of relief when his police cruiser was nowhere to be seen._

 _I rushed to the porch and rang the doorbell, but there was no response. I waited for a few more minutes, rang it again, but no one answered._

 _I sighed and grimaced, shaking my head at myself._

 _Bella was probably just out with her friends._

 _Dejected, I walked back to the car. Just then, I heard a soft whimper. I looked around but there was no one to be seen. I dismissed it as my mind playing tricks, but a second later, I heard it again. This time the sound was more pronounced._

 _Frowning, I circled around the house to the backyard. The forest stretched out beyond it, but there was a distinct cleared path in between the trees. Curious, I followed it and twenty steps later, I stood in a small, beautiful meadow. It was almost circular, covered in wild grass and flowers that fluttered in the wind. The sunlight shone through the dense canopy of the surrounding trees. Sitting in the middle of the little piece of heaven was Bella. The sight made me smile._

 _My face fell when I got closer and realized that her little frame was shaking with sobs. She sniffled and whimpered, clutching an old blanket in her hands._

 _"_ _Bella?" I whispered softly, trying not to startle her._

 _She jumped anyway, gripping the blanket tighter in her hands, but relaxed when she saw it was me._

 _"_ _Hi, Edward," her voice broke and she cleared her throat. "What are you doing here?" She wiped her tears roughly._

 _I folded myself into a sitting position beside her, checking for any signs of injury. "I got worried when Dad said you weren't coming in today," I admitted. "I wondered if you were sick. I couldn't help but come to check on you. I was about to go back when I saw the empty house, but then I heard something…" I trailed off._

 _Bella looked away and sniffled._

 _"_ _What's wrong, Bella? You aren't hurt, are you?"_

 _She shook her head, not saying anything._

 _"_ _Do you want me to leave?" I offered quietly._

 _She sighed. "No, please stay." Her voice was small._

 _I tried to smile reassuringly. "I'm right here."_

 _She looked at me gratefully, her little hand reaching out to take mine. I gave it a gentle squeeze, but didn't say anything else. Hard as it was, I managed to be patient and not push her to talk._

 _Several minutes passed in silence. My eyes were fixed on her face, and finally, she returned my gaze._

 _"_ _My Nana… Today's her death anniversary. She's been gone for two years now, but the pain of losing her is just as raw today as it was then," she said in a broken whisper._

 _"_ _Oh Bella." My chest constricted as fresh tears rolled down her face. I covered her hand in both of mine, trying to offer what little comfort I could._

 _"_ _Nana was the one who raised me, Edward. She was everything to me… my mother, my best friend, my sister. My mom, Renee, took me away from Charlie and Forks when she got bored of the small town life, but, she had no means to take care of a child on her own. So, we moved to Philadelphia and started living with Nana. Renee had always been flighty and Nana knew it. She took it upon herself to care for me while Renee struggled to keep a steady job and tried to land herself a sugar daddy." She grimaced and shook her head._

 _"_ _When Nana got sick, Renee had recently started dating Phil Dwyer, a minor league baseball player. She got her shit together for a while. But, there wasn't anything we could do. It was last stage cancer. Nana decided to spend her last days at home in her bed and we stayed with her throughout. When she was gone—" Bella broke off with a sob._

 _I pulled her to my side and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her face in my chest and continued to weep, while I gently rubbed her back._

 _"_ _Shh. You don't have to talk about this, Bella," I murmured._

 _"_ _I want to," she said after a while, regaining her composure but keeping her face hidden against me. "I haven't talked to anyone about her in years. Charlie is not exactly a conversationalist," she muttered and I smiled slightly._

 _Taking a deep breath, she continued, "A week after she was gone, I heard Renee talking on the phone. She was telling Phil about how she should probably stay with me for a while since it'll take me some time to "get over it". I realized that she'd planned to travel with him for his games and though she didn't say it out loud, her tone implied how I could now put a kink in their plans. That very day, I called Charlie, asking if I could stay with him for the remaining of my schooling years. He was ecstatic with my decision and I moved to Forks."_

 _My arms tightened around her protectively as she told me about her poor excuse of a mother. I suppressed my indignation at Renee's selfishness, focusing on heart-broken girl in front of me._

 _Bella pulled back a little, looking me in the eyes. "When Nana passed away, I'd promised her that I would continue her legacy. I'd promised myself that I'd become a good doctor and a good person, just like her, and do my part to make others' lives better. I knew I had to get away from Renee in order to do that, to get some stability. It's not like she was miserable about it anyway," she shrugged, but the pain was clear in her eyes. "That's why I'm not like others of my age. I know exactly what I want to do with my life and I'm prepared to work as hard as I have to in order to achieve that."_

 _I smiled at her fortitude, gently brushing away the last of her tears. "I'm sure your Nana is very proud of you, Bella. You are a wonderful person and I have no doubt you'll be a great doctor."_

 _"_ _That means a lot to me, Edward. Thank you. For saying that and for listening." A small but genuine smile lit up her face. "I'm sorry you got worried. I didn't even realize what date it was today until I happened to look at the calendar this morning. Otherwise, I would have made up some excuse yesterday."_

 _"_ _No apologies necessary." I looked around, trying to change the subject. Bella's anguish unsettled me in ways I didn't understand and I'd never wanted anything as much as I wanted to take away her pain. "You never told me about this meadow."_

 _"_ _It's my secret spot. Well, not much of a secret now that Charlie has cleared the path. But, you get the point," she winked and I chuckled, glad to see that her playfulness was back. "It's where I come when I need some peace."_

 _"_ _You're kind of an old soul, aren't you?"_

 _Bella shrugged. "I've been called that before. Nana always said I'll be completely skipping my teenager phase and Renee will be living hers for the rest of her life."_

 _"_ _She sounds like a very wise woman."_

 _"_ _She was. And loved to spread the wisdom around, too. Too bad she couldn't reach through to her daughter though. Anyway." She dragged out the word and changed the subject. "Now it's your turn."_

 _"_ _My turn?"_

 _"_ _Yep. To spill."_

 _"_ _What are you talking about?"_

 _"_ _I just revealed my deepest, darkest secrets to you. Don't you think you should return the favor?" she glared at me, one eyebrow raised. "In fact, it is the ground rule of this meadow."_

 _"_ _Since when?" I returned the cocked eyebrow._

 _"_ _I'm establishing it now. If you want to share my meadow, you're going to have to tell me your secrets."_

 _"_ _I have no idea what to say. There's nothing to spill," I insisted._

 _Her face softened. "Come on, Edward. We've talked every single day for a month, and I barely know anything about you other than the fact that you're a neurosurgeon living in New York." Pursing her lips, she eyed me speculatively for a few seconds. I fidgeted under her sharp gaze. "You're different now, you know."_

 _I frowned. "Different?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. I can't describe exactly, but, you seem… happier now than you were the first week I met you. At that time, you seemed subdued, like the weight of the world rested on your shoulders. That's not the look of a man on vacation, is it? There's something else that drove you to spend the summer across the country."_

 _I looked away to hide my shock at how easily she'd figured me out._

 _"_ _Okay, fine. Don't tell me, Shepherd."_

 _"_ _Shepherd?"_

 _"_ _Yeah. That's what I call you in my head. You're exactly like Derek Shepherd. Hot shot New York neurosurgeon, check. Secrets, check." She spoke in a matter-of-fact tone and ticked boxes in the air._

 _I couldn't help the snort that burst from my lips, leading to a full blown belly laugh, until I had tears in my eyes. The dumbfounded look on Bella's face at my reaction was priceless. I laughed for a good couple of minutes while she looked on impatiently._

 _It'd been quite some time since I'd laughed that hard. I thought about what she'd said about the change in me and realized that she was right. I felt lighter and freer now. I felt that I could finally start trying to put my shitty past behind me. Bella had made all the difference in the few short weeks that I'd known her. She deserved to know the truth._

 _"_ _Cheating wife, check," I said softly._

 _She gasped. I smiled ruefully and told her about Irina's affair with her assistant, Laurent, and the messy divorce that followed._

 _"_ _Oh Edward. I'm so sorry," she whispered, her soft voice full of compassion._

 _"_ _We'd been arguing about little things for months. I didn't want to give up on our marriage, though. I thought I'd surprise her, try to bring back the spark. Instead, she surprised the hell out of me. She apologized, but after that betrayal, I couldn't ever look at her the same way. However, that didn't stop her from trying to get a share in every single thing I owned after the divorce."_

 _Bella's jaw dropped. "Even after what she did to you? That's terrible!"_

 _I grimaced. "I saw a whole new side of Irina throughout the process. Thankfully, I have good lawyers. After it was all settled, I was mentally exhausted. That's why I came here. I have good friends there, but I've never been one to share everything with everyone."_

 _Bella giggled. "Oh, trust me, I know."_

 _I mock-glared at her and she giggled more._

 _"_ _As I was saying, I haven't talked about this to anyone outside my family. You're right, I do feel much better now than I was when I came to Forks. And you've played a major role in that, Bella. Talking to you about nothing and everything has been the highlight of my days. Thank you," I said sincerely, looking straight into her wide eyes._

 _She smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing a beautiful shade of pink._

 _It was as if my hand had a mind of its own as it rose and my fingers reached out to brush lightly against her rosy skin, skimming along her cheekbone, stroking the soft skin. Her eyes were locked with mine and I was lost in the way they twinkled in the sunlight. Rich, coffee-brown with just a hint of hazel near the rim._

 _Her lips parted and she took in a shaky breath as I felt her hands reach up and cup my jaw. She looked at me so intently that all thoughts of propriety and reason flew from my mind and I could feel nothing but the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips and the desire to test it with my lips._

 _She must have read the hesitation in my eyes. Slowly, she moved closer and like a magnet, I followed until I could feel her breath on my skin. Her eyes flickered to my lips and finally, she closed the tiny gap between us and pressed her mouth against mine._

 _As natural as breathing, my lips parted to accommodate hers. My hands framed the back of her head as our lips glided against each other. Her fingers tangled in my hair and she pressed herself closer to me._

 _Soft, warm, sweet… Our lips molded against each other perfectly, but it wasn't enough. I wanted more… no, I needed to feel more of her. Tentatively, I parted my lips further, my tongue reaching out to trace the curve of her lower lip, a little fuller than her upper one. She stilled for just a second, and then, opened her mouth in invitation, which I gladly accepted and deepened the kiss._

 _Her taste exploded in my mouth as her tongue gently stroked mine and my fingers knotted in her hair, pulling her onto my lap. She whimpered, her hands fisting the cloth of my shirt as she pressed her chest against mine, our tongues languidly rubbing against each other's, evoking sensations unlike anything I'd ever felt before._

 _I suckled on her bottom lip, feeling her breath as it pushed into me, delighting in the sweet, sublime taste of her. I could feel every single part of my body tingle and react to her touch, her smell, her taste as our lips came together, again and again and again…_

 _And then, Bella moaned loudly and shifted on my lap, grinding against my hardening erection. Seemingly unaffected, she continued to press her lips to mine in fervor, but that little action sent sparks of undiluted pleasure down my spine, and the realization snapped me back to reality._

 _What the hell had I done?_

 _Immediately, I pulled back from Bella, gently but firmly pushing her onto the ground and away from me. She looked at me with dazed, hooded eyes, flushed cheeks and swollen pouty lips, blinking rapidly in confusion._

 _"_ _What- What's wrong?"_

 _"_ _I can't do this. I can't do this, Bella. This is wrong. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that," I stammered._

 _"_ _What?" It was a whisper, but so full of anguish that I looked away in shame._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, Bella. So sorry. I didn't even—"_

 _"_ _Stop. You-you regret this?"_

 _Swallowing hard, I looked at her. "Don't you?"_

 _She just gazed at me silently._

 _"_ _I can't-We can't do this, Bella. I live across the country, I have a lot of baggage, as you know. And most importantly, I'm fifteen years older than you." I shook my head in despair. "You're still in high school. This-This is wrong. I can't –" I broke off._

 _A single tear made its way down her cheek and I fought the desperate urge to wipe it off. The pain was back in her eyes as she looked at me, with a hint of anger too. That was good. Anger was good._

 _I could feel my resolve crumbling with every moment I spent in her presence._

 _Slowly, I rose to my feet. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm really sorry," I whispered and backed away, turning around only once I'd reached the edge of the meadow._

 _I ran to the car, holding back the tears pricking at the back of my eyes, feeling the loss of a part of me that I knew I'd left with Bella. I didn't deserve to cry. I didn't deserve to let out my pain after the way I'd hurt the beautiful girl who'd done nothing but be good to me._

 _I was too fucked up for her goodness, though. I would only tie her down and prevent her from achieving those goals she'd set for herself since when she was a little girl. I didn't deserve her._

 _Not then. Not ever._

Emmett was looking at me with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"So, you made out with the girl, and then left her?"

I sighed despondently. There was nothing to say.

"What the fuck, Edward? She kissed you back willingly, didn't she? Please don't tell me you thought you took advantage of her or something and freaked the hell out!"

" _I don't know!_ " I groaned. "Maybe it was that. It was also the fact that I was 32 and she was 17, Emmett. For God's sake, she was in high school! With me here and her in Forks, what good could possibly come out of a relationship, huh? I thought… Girls that age, they have crushes, right? I thought that's just what it was. That's why she kissed me back. She'd get over it with time."

"And what about your feelings?" Emmett shot back.

I swallowed. "I packed up and left Forks two days after the… incident. I didn't realize until I'd gotten back to New York how deep my feelings for Bella ran," I said. "It wasn't until I was alone in my huge apartment, that I started seeing her in everything I saw or did. I didn't realize what she meant to me until every little thing started reminding me of her. It wasn't until I had lost her that I realized how much I needed her." I rubbed away the tears that slipped down my face.

"You love her," he said, his tone no longer biting, but soft.

I nodded, acknowledging the words for the first time.

"I didn't let myself think about it, though. Every time the thought came to my mind, I'd chase it away. I knew that once I'd accepted how I felt about her, I'd drown myself in an endless sea of longing, guilt and pain. But, never had I thought that the next time I'd see Bella she'd be—" I sobbed, unable to hold back my emotions any longer.

Emmett cupped my shoulder in silent support as I wept and prayed for the life of the girl I loved.

I paced, clutched my hair, bounced my leg up and down until Emmett cursed and grasped my knee to stop the movement that rocked the entire row of chairs, but time crawled as I awaited the news about Bella's surgery. I declined Emmett's offer to go down to the cafeteria, so he went and got me a bottle of juice. I drank, not even tasting the damned thing through the worry that tinged my entire being.

Hours later, I caught sight of Jasper's blond hair and shot up from the chair, waiting impatiently as he walked toward us.

"Tell me," I choked out when he reached us.

"She'll be alright, Edward. She had a massive splenic bleed and I just couldn't get it under control. So, I did a splenectomy. She's lost a lot of blood, but other than that, she should make a full recovery. She was very lucky they found her when they did, or else she could have bled out at the accident site. She'll be fine, Edward," Jasper said. I looked for any hint of doubt in his voice or expression, relaxing a bit when I found none.

"Oh, thank God." The words left my mouth as I fell back onto the chair, my legs giving out as a sigh of utter relief left my lungs. "Thank you, Jasper. Thank you." I raised my hand and he reached out to shake it.

"Now, will someone _please_ tell me how the hell you know this Isabella Swan?" Jasper muttered, glaring at Emmett and me.

"Oh, dude," Em said, shaking his head. "I can't even—" He broke off when we heard a shrill, feminine voice yell at the receptionist.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? I already told you, I'm here to see ISABELLA SWAN! I got a call that she was brought in after an accident. Where is she?"

Jasper walked over to the petite, dark-haired woman to intervene before she threw something at the receptionist, who couldn't seem to get the computer to work to find the records.

I watched as he talked to the girl, no doubt updating her on Bella's status. A minute later, a hopeful smile stretched across her lips as she put forward a question to Jasper and he nodded. She squeaked and jumped into his arms, muttering "Thank you!" over and over, loud enough for everyone in the waiting room to hear.

Jasper patted her back awkwardly, and then led her away, toward the ICU. I followed, keeping a safe distance. I heard her say that her name was Alice and she was Bella's roommate.

 _Roommate? So Bella had been living in New York? Did she attend college here? Why didn't she come see me?_

The answer to the last one was simple. She didn't come to meet me because she didn't want to. Of course she wouldn't want anything to do with me after I'd hurt her so badly. She'd probably have forgotten me by now.

I ignored the uncomfortable tightening I felt in my chest at the thought, as I'd reached the ICU where Bella lay. Jasper and Alice were already inside and the blinds were open, so I was free to look inside.

I knew what to expect and yet, the sight of Bella, unconscious and hooked up to monitors and machines, her face and arms laden with cuts and bruises, brought tears to my eyes.

 _She's alive. She's alive, that's what matters._ I chanted in my mind, trying to maintain my composure.

I watched as Alice tucked a lock of Bella's hair behind her ear and bent down to kiss her forehead. Jasper said something to her, and she nodded. He walked out of the room, looking unsurprised to find me there.

"I've told Alice that she needs to take care of some paperwork. She wants to sit with Isabella for a while, but then she'll go down to the nurses' station," he told me, looking at me pointedly and I immediately understood the underlying meaning in his words.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears.

He nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm going to see Emmett. Apparently, he has a story for me," he said, clapping my shoulder and walked away.

I grabbed myself a bottle of water and drank it as I paced across the corridor, waiting for Alice to leave, so that I could have a few moments alone with Bella.

She was so close, and yet so far. My patience was wearing thin, but finally, almost an hour later, Alice did walk out of the room. I didn't waste a second, and almost ran in as soon she walked a few steps away.

I walked to Bella's bed and sat down on the stool beside it. Gently, with a shaking hand, I stroked her face, my fingers gliding over her pale skin. I took care not to touch the bruises.

My hand itched to hold hers, so I lifted her right hand and bent down to press a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"I'm so, so sorry, Bella," I whispered, pressing her hand to my cheek, my eyes squeezing shut as I relished the warmth of her touch.

I was startled when I felt thin, delicate fingers conform to the angles of my face and cup my jaw. My eyes snapped up and I gasped out loud when I saw dark brown orbs staring at me through a thin sheen of moisture.

"Ed-Edward?" she rasped.

"Bella! Oh God, Bella! You're awake," I exclaimed, my heart pounding hard and fast at the sound of her voice.

I looked into her eyes, wondering if she was still under the effect of the anesthesia, but they seemed alert, looking at me in shock as thick, hot tears rolled out from them.

"Edward," she whispered again, her voice a little clearer and I watched, flabbergasted and amazed as a beautiful smile slowly lit up her face. "Oh Edward! Are you really here?" This time, her voice was laden with hope and it made me smile as all the emotions I'd kept buried inside me rushed to the surface.

 _I loved her. I loved Bella Swan with all my life, with all my heart._

One and a half years ago, I'd made a decision, one that I'd immediately regretted.

I wouldn't repeat the same mistake.

"Yes, I'm here, Bella. And I'm not going anywhere," I promised and I meant it. I'd stay right by her side for as long as she wanted me.

This time, I wouldn't make the decision for her. If she didn't want me, I'd walk out of her life again, but if she asked me to. But, if there was the tiniest of chances that she could accept me again, I'd do anything for a chance to beg for her forgiveness.

Yes, this time, I would keep my promise.

* * *

 **A/N: It's a hopeful ending, right? I hope you guys won't mind waiting a little bit for more.**

 **Oops... forgot to mention earlier something we all already know... The Twilight Saga and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and I'm just playing around in her sandbox. No copyright infringement is intended.**

 **Thanks for reading and as always, I'd love to hear what you think :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back with Chapter 2! It's shorter than the last one, but that was supposed to be all of E/B's backstory... Now we move ahead.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER- You know it, Stephenie Meyer owns it all. No copyright infringement is intended.**

 **Wow! 147 followers? Thank you so much for the support :) You guys overwhelmed me, but in the best possible way.**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 is a pro at reading my mind ;) and Melissa is awesome for making this making this grammatically sound. Thank you, girls!**  
 **Sue (CSG), you're wonderful at encouraging us newbie authors and I hope you always continue to do so! Thanks once again :)**  
 **Okay, now let's go see what's up with Olderward, shall we?**

* * *

"Hey," I whispered lamely after a moment of awkward silence following my passionate declaration. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but as her dark eyes, brimming with unreadable emotions, stared at me, none of it would come out.

"Hi," she whispered and winced, probably from the ache in her dry throat.

I stretched my arm to take the little plastic glass on the bedside table and held it near her mouth, my right hand still clasped in hers. She didn't let go either, reaching out to hold the straw with her free hand and eagerly gulped a few sips of the cool water.

"I'm sorry, Bella. Just a little for now. You can have more in a while, okay?" I said softly, when she whimpered in protest as I took it away.

She swallowed and nodded.

"How do you feel?"

Her brow furrowed. "I-I have a slight headache, but otherwise, I'm alright. Wha-what happened?"

"You were in an accident. A multi-car pileup. Do you remember anything?" I questioned anxiously.

"I-I think so. There was something on my-my body. I remember metal, I think? I was trapped. I couldn't get out. It was so heavy. I pushed and pushed but it just wouldn't move. I was so scared," she whispered. Her face paled and her eyes widened, seeming to look right through me as the horror of what she'd been through dawned upon her. The machine beeping loudly as her heart rate elevated and I cursed.

My hands framed her delicate face and I gazed straight into her eyes as I muttered reassuringly, "You're okay, Bella. Shhh. You're fine. Don't think about it. You're fine."

I continued my chant of soothing words until gradually, the panic receded and her heart returned to its normal rhythm. Bella swallowed hard and whispered, "I'm okay."

Just then, the door swung open and instinctively, I dropped my hands and straightened, moving away from the bed.

Alice entered the room and cocked an eyebrow at my presence. "Excuse me? Who are you?"

I stood up, clearing my throat. I chanced a glance at Bella and my eyebrows pulled together in confusion at the melancholy look in her eyes. She turned away from me, biting her lip and did not offer a response to Alice's question.

My heart plummeted as I realized that she hadn't told Alice about us and had no intention of doing anything of the sort now.

 _Us? There was no "us"._ The rational part of my mind reminded me and I was engulfed once again by sheer despair.

Alice cleared her throat loudly, drawing my attention back to her. Her arms were crossed across her chest as she looked at me, impatient and suspicious.

"I'm Dr. Edward Cullen. I'm a neurosurgeon at this hospital," I said, hoping that my voice did not reflect the emotional turmoil in my heart.

" _Edward_ Cullen?" she said and I detected a hint of surprise in the tone of her voice when she stressed my first name. She gave me no time to think about it further as her eyes flickered to Bella for a second and then shot back to me before she continued. "A neurosurgeon? Is there something wrong? Dr. Whitlock didn't say anything about Bella having a head injury." Her genuine concern for Bella was plain in her voice.

"No, Bella, uh, Isabella does not have a head injury. Dr. Whitlock asked me to perform an exam just in case. You don't have to worry, it's just a precaution."

"Oh, okay." She didn't look entirely convinced and the knowing look in her eyes unnerved me. I looked away, grabbing Bella's chart and pretending to read it while Alice walked to the bed.

"Hi, honey. Thank God you're awake. How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened?"

"I'm fine," Bella whispered. "Um, Dr. Cullen told me what happened. I know I was getting back from Jake's and then… After that, I just remember being trapped and—"

Alice interrupted, sensing Bella's agitation. "Shhh, honey. Just relax. I'm so glad you're alright. When I got that phone call…" She shook her head and leaned down to hug Bella.

 _Who the hell was Jake?_

"Don't worry now, Ali. I'll be good as new in no time," Bella said and they both smiled.

Alice sighed as she pulled away. "I have to go down for some paperwork. I just forgot my phone and I didn't want the ring to disturb you. Ah, here it is." She said, picking it up from the table. "I'll be right back, okay? You just rest."

Alice threw a look my way, which seemed almost appraising, before heading out.

I put the chart down and walked back to Bella's side, much less confident than I had been a few minutes ago.

She looked at me and there was wariness in her eyes that hadn't been there before. Probably thinking that she'd impulsively given me the wrong idea with the way she'd reacted before. She'd been scared, terrified even, on waking up in an unknown place and my familiar face must have been a comfort.

 _Or maybe, just maybe, she felt what I'd felt on seeing her after all this time… But then why would she appear sad?_

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. I'd think about all of that later, when I was alone. I didn't have much time until Alice came back and I couldn't waste a second of the few precious minutes I had with Bella.

With that thought in mind, I voiced the first question that came to me. "What are you doing in New York, Bella? I never knew…" I trailed off.

She looked down for a second, seeming uncomfortable and hesitant. "I, uh, I go to college here. Pre-med in Columbia. I'd applied for a program where I won a scholarship."

"Pre-med in Ivy League? That's wonderful! Congratulations." I beamed. "I'm so proud of you. Charlie, your Nana…everyone would be extremely proud of you."

"Thank you." The corners of her mouth twitched but she didn't smile.

"I wish you'd told me that you'd planned to come here, Bella. I—"

"Why? What difference would that have made?" She snapped and I was taken aback by the sudden bitterness in her voice. "You would have done the exact same thing even if you knew I was going to live here in New York, right? And anyway, I hadn't known for sure which college I'd go to when I met you. I'd applied in several programs, but I hadn't done any shortlisting. If you don't remember, between the two of us, _I_ wasn't the one who was keeping something from the other."

I suppressed the wince that threatened to break out at the sting of her sharp words. They were true words, though and I deserved every last bit of her anger for what I'd done.

I watched silently as her eyes squeezed shut and she took a deep breath. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for, Bella. I-I hurt you, I know that, and I deserve this and much worse. I just… I just want a chance to talk to you," I pleaded. "I want to tell you how sorry I am. I know I was wrong, making the decision for you like that and this time, I promise you, I won't repeat my mistake. You decide, Bella. I'm just asking for a chance to apologize, that's all. If you never want to see me after that, I'll respect your choice and walk out of your life forever. A few minutes, that's all I want. _Please_."

She looked at me silently for what felt like a lifetime, her expression completely unreadable. I forced myself to meet her gaze, showing her, hopefully, that I was serious about this and I wasn't going to back down.

She released a huge breath before speaking. "Fine. We'll talk, but not right now. Alice will be back soon, and I don't want to rush this. I have a few things of my own to say to you."

"Of course. Whatever you want," I agreed immediately. "Thank you."

She looked like she was about to say something, but stopped when Alice came in.

"Still examining, Dr. Cullen?" she sassed and I frowned, wondering what it was about me that ticked her off.

"I'm done here. Everything looks fine, Bella."

"Thank you."

I nodded and left the room. I walked on to the Doctors' lounge and sat down on the couch, putting my head in my hands and groaned.

"Whoa! Trouble in paradise?" Emmett's familiar voice boomed. I looked up and saw him grinning at me with Jasper at his side. They came and sat on either side of me while I gripped my hair in frustration.

"She's mad at me."

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock," Jasper drawled. "Nice little hole you've dug up for yourself. What the hell did you expect? You know, I don't understand this. You give us shit about treating women right and here you go—"

"Oh, come on, Jazz! He doesn't need a fucking lecture right now. All of that is done and dusted. You can't change the past, so now, focus on the present," Emmett defended me. "Edward, tell me honestly, what do you want? And you better be a hundred percent sure of your answer."

"Her. I want her. But more than that, I want her to be happy," I whispered fervently. "I want her to have what she wants. Always."

"You love her?"

I glared at him. "Yeah, I do."

"Then stop acting like a pussy. She's mad, well, she has a right to be. So, you work on it, but on her terms. First of all, talk to her. Apologize, explain the reasons behind your actions and then we'll go from there."

"I already asked her, Dr. Phil, and she's agreed to listen. But when she's alone, because her roommate doesn't know about me."

Emmett smiled. "Okay, that's a start."

"She's giving you a chance, man," Jazz chimed in. "That means she must have some feelings, yeah?"

Emmett looked at him in absolute surprise, to which he retorted, "What? Just because I don't want a relationship doesn't mean I don't know anything about women." He turned to me and clapped my shoulder. "We have your back, dude. Whatever you need. I've never seen you like this before, even with Irina. This Bella, she's the real deal, isn't she?"

"I never admitted to anyone, or even myself, but I've come to realize that she's… she's everything," I said.

They smiled and once again promised to help me in whatever I needed to do to get my girl.

"Alright, that's enough of the sappiness. Now, before we start braiding our hair or doing each other's nails, can we get out of here? I'm so fucking tired I feel like I could fall asleep standing." Em rose and stretched.

I frowned at him. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You've been up twenty four hours now. You're not gonna be of any use to Bella even if you're here," he pointed out.

"I don't need—"

"Edward, I'm on call tonight," Jasper said softly. "I'll take care of her. Go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow morning."

"I can't—"

He cut me off again. "I promise to call you if there's anything. C'mon, you're deadbeat and all this mental exhaustion is just going to make it worse. I'll check on her every hour, okay? Go home."

"Please, Jazz. Call me immediately if you need me," I begged.

"I will," he promised. With a defeated sigh, I let Emmett guide me towards the exit.

As we reached my car, he asked, "Will you be okay driving?"

"Yeah, I can manage."

"You're sure? I don't want to put you in the cot next to Bella. That would not help our purpose at all."

I smiled slightly and reassured him again that I'd be fine and we parted ways.

Once in my apartment, I barely had the energy to change out of my jeans and brush my teeth before I fell face down on the bed and all the while, my exhausted mind kept replaying the memories of Bella like a flip book, with the scenes from a year ago and from today blended together.

Despite the fatigue, my sleep was fitful with dreadful dreams plaguing my mind: images of Bella trapped under the debris of the accident, her hand reaching out in a silent plea for help, which went unanswered, terrified me to the point where I woke up with a gasp, my T-shirt soaked with sweat and my heart hammering in my chest.

I lay awake, panting for half an hour trying to calm myself after that, but eventually, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, hoping and praying that tomorrow, I'd make some headway in my intention of getting Bella to forgive me and hopefully, return my feelings.

* * *

 **A/N: Tell me what you're thinking in a review, won't you?**

 **Much love and thanks to OTB (Diane) for making me a gorgeous banner for this story... You can see it in the cover image up on this page. I have the link up on my profile too. Go check it out!**

 **I might be posting about updates and such on Facebook since FF seems to be going haywire about it these days, so if you're interested, you can find me as Kayla Cullen there.**  
 **See you next weekend!  
**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello! Hope everyone had a good week. My Olderward would like to thank you for the follows and favorites :) He's very happy that you're all joining him on this ride!**

 _ **DISCLAIMER- The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer and I'm grateful to her for allowing us to have fun with her characters.**_

 **As always, I couldn't do this without Dazzled Eyes22(Danielle) and Melissa. They're awesome!**

 **Everyone had questions about Alice. Let's see what she has in store for us...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER-3**

I called Jasper first thing early in the morning. He informed me that Bella was recovering perfectly well and suggested, however futilely, that I could get in a few more hours of sleep since I had the day off. He knew as well as I did that there was no way I would stay away from the hospital any more than absolutely necessary.

After taking the quickest shower in history and gushing down a glass of milk for breakfast, I rushed to the hospital. My steps faltered as I reached Bella's room, but taking a deep breath and bolstering myself for whatever greeted me inside, I walked further, only to stop in my tracks when I saw a guy in there.

Or rather, a giant.

Inexplicable, albeit irrational, rage overtook me as I stood in front of the window, watching the dark-haired guy, all seven feet of him, leaned over and wrapped his arms around Bella. My chest tightened and pain rippled through me as though a piece of my heart had shattered when Bella hugged him back and he buried his face in her hair.

I turned away, my head banging against the wall. The sharp sting that shot through me was nothing compared to the agony I felt at the sight of _my_ Bella engulfed in someone else's arms.

 _What right do you have to call her yours, you idiot? Maybe this guy treats her right, and that is more than one can say about you! This was probably what she meant about having some things of her own to say to you._

I fisted my shaking hands, desperately fighting the urge to walk in there, break them apart and tackle him to the ground for laying his hands on the girl I loved.

 _You think you can take him, huh? Why don't you go and peek once more if you haven't gotten a good enough look at the muscles bulging from underneath that tight T-shirt of his?_

That's it. I officially hated my subconscious.

"Well, hello, Dr. Cullen," the shrillest of voices said, pulling me out of my jealous haze. "Come to perform another exam, have you?"

Counting to ten in my head in hopes to put off the raging fire inside of me, I turned to Alice. "What the hell is your problem?" I gritted through clenched teeth.

Okay, so maybe the counting didn't help much.

Her mouth fell into a surprised 'o' as her eyebrows rose sky high. "My problem? _My problem?_ YOU are my problem, _Edward_ ," she sneered, much the same way as she'd done at the poor receptionist the day before.

A moment passed as we glared at each other, neither one backing down and as my mind regained some of its senses, I was overcome with shame at the way I'd snapped at Alice. As much as I'd observed in the past couple of days, she'd been a good, caring friend to Bella and in spite of her rude behavior toward me, I had no right to speak to her the way I had.

I desperately needed to get a handle on my emotions and act like the mature adult I was.

Breathing deeply, I said softly, "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

"Yes, you shouldn't have," she said, losing some of the hostility herself, but her face still held that cautious expression she always wore while talking to me.

I couldn't stand not knowing the reason behind it.

A few people turned to look at us curiously as they passed, so I requested Alice to follow me to the supply room. She threw me a dubious glance, but I was relieved when she agreed.

"I don't know what I've done to offend you, Alice," I stated once we were inside. "I haven't even met you before and you've been, uh-" I struggled to find the right word. "-unkind to me since the first time you saw me. Could you-"

"It's not about me," she interrupted in a tight voice. "It's about what you did to Bella. It was you, wasn't it? You hurt her."

I froze at her admission. Swallowing hard, I choked, "You- you know? She told you?"

"She didn't tell me anything."

"Then what do you… How do you know?"

She shrugged. "We live together. It's not easy to keep secrets from each other."

"How. Did. You. Know?" I repeated, struggling to maintain my composure.

"You really wanna know? Fine," she huffed. "I heard her talking in her sleep. The dorm walls are thin as paper. I've lost count of how many times I've heard her whimper your name in the night and the following morning, she'd always be miserable. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together once I knew your name and I saw the way you were looking at each other."

The fury melted away and all that was left inside me was unrelenting pain and regret at the thought of Bella hurting because of me.

I turned away from Alice but she wasn't done.

"It pains me to see her like that, you know? She hardly ever goes out. I have to fight tooth and nail to drag her to a party. She should be enjoying her college life, but all she's doing is moping around, cooped up in her room with nothing but books to keep her company. I may not know the whole story but I'd assumed and now I know it's you who hurt her and that's enough reason for me to distrust you, Dr. Cullen." Her voice had lost the bitterness; her tone was despondent as she told me about the past six months of Bella's life.

"I made a mistake. I just… I just thought…" My voice broke.

It was a strange conundrum I found myself in. On one hand, I didn't know this girl and every cell of my body was against the idea of disclosing my feelings in front of her. However, I _really_ needed to talk to Bella and the only way to get some privacy to do that was if I could convince Alice that I had no intention of hurting Bella. Well, hurt her more than I already had.

"Look, Alice," I started. "I can't even…I-I love her," I blurted before I could have a chance to rethink my decision. It felt wrong to admit this to her when I hadn't told Bella but I had no choice.

Alice's reaction was to be expected, I guess. She gaped at me, blinking silently, her eyes widened in pure, undiluted shock.

"You love her?" she parroted blankly. Her gaze turned dubious, then speculative.

"I do." I didn't look away, allowing her to gauge my sincerity.

She shook her head once, as if to clear it. "What the hell happened between the two of you? If you love her, then why aren't you…?" She trailed off, frowning.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you everything, that's Bella's prerogative. But, please, trust me when I say that I had nothing but Bella's best interest at heart when I… left her. I never wanted to… I never thought that she'd felt…" I swallowed thickly.

She looked intently into my eyes as I spoke and her expression softened just the tiniest bit. The frown marring her brow eased out slightly and I jumped at the first flicker of doubt in her mind.

"I just want to talk to her, Alice. Apologize, explain my side of the story, that's all."

"You-You're serious," she stated, nonplussed. It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. "Forgive me if I don't care what you want, though. I only care about Bella."

"I asked Bella," I rushed to say. "She's agreed to talk, but we, um, we need to do that in private."

"Right now? She doesn't need the added stress when she's recovering from a major surgery. But, I know her well." She sighed, resigned. "Bella's stubborn when she wants something but she can't hold a grudge to save her life. No matter, I can do that for her." I resisted the urge to fidget as she looked me over with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "If that's what she wants, I'll leave you two alone for a little while. I'll be just outside the door, though. If I hear Bella getting upset, I won't hesitate to step in and throw you out even if Bella wants it otherwise, you hear me?"

"Of course. I promise you, if she doesn't want me there, I'll throw myself out."

Telling Alice about my feelings seemed to have been the right move if it got her to trust me the slightest bit. I wondered if I could count on her to be an ally, albeit a reluctant one, in my quest to win Bella's heart.

Alice nodded firmly and started to walk out, when I remembered.

"Oh, Alice? Who was the…uh, guy in Bella's room?"

A slow smirk made its way across her lips. "Oh, that guy? He's Jacob Black."

 _Jacob… Jake? The one Bella had been with right before the accident?_

"Yep, the very same," Alice trilled and I realized that I'd spoken out loud. "He's studying at Columbia too. Mechanical engineering. He's from this little Indian reservation not far from Forks. Bella told me they've known each other since they were in diapers. That's so sweet, don't you think?" Her voice was entirely too smug by the end.

 _Sweet was not a word I'd ever associate with that guy._

"I guess," I forced out, not wanting to give Alice the satisfaction of watching me respond to her goading.

She walked out without another word and I followed with a sigh.

 _So much for an ally._

When we reached Bella's room, Alice took one glance inside through the window and muttered something under her breath before turning to me with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Looks like you're gonna have to wait a little longer for that privacy, Romeo," she said gleefully.

Frowning, I peeked in and sure enough, there were now two people in there with Bella. Jacob was still in there, but at least he wasn't touching Bella any more. No, he was seated on the couch since his place on the bed was now occupied by a man in police uniform.

His back was to me, I could see his hair, the same shade of brown as Bella, with some greys thrown in. He held Bella's hand and stroked her hair while she smiled at him, often shaking her head. Her expression alternated between indulgent and frustrated as the man fussed over her.

Alice pranced in with her patented squeal and the man turned to look at her with a smile.

 _Charlie Swan_.

* * *

 **A/N: Leave me a review, I'd love to know what you're thinking.**

 **In case ffn is not sending out updates, I'll always be posting on Facebook. You can find me as Kayla Cullen there.**

 **See you next weekend :)**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi there :) Here's an earlier update to thank you for all the support you've given this story! Thank you for the follows, favorites and especially, the reviews... They mean a lot to me.  
**

 **On that note... Can we get to a 100 reviews with this chapter? It'll be my first time! *fingers crossed***

 **Big thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa for all their help!**

 ** _DISCLAIMER- Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga and it's characters. No copyright infringement is intended._**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 4**

 _It'll be okay. It'll be okay._ I chanted in my head. If Bella hadn't told Alice, she definitely wouldn't have told Charlie. She'd told me they didn't talk about personal stuff.

 _I should go in there. Charlie wouldn't be waiting with his gun loaded and aimed at my head for hurting his baby girl._

 _Would he?_

 _He must have flown here, right? He couldn't have carried a gun._

I'd been waiting outside for about fifteen minutes now, my thoughts running at a million miles an hour. Alice was now sitting at Bella's side and Charlie settled in on the couch with Ass-uh, Jacob. They were chatting comfortably, obviously having known each other for years. Every few minutes, though, Charlie's eyes would flicker over to Bella and he'd smile and breathe a sigh of relief.

"Planning on making an appearance in this century, Cullen?"

I let out a huge breath as Jasper came to stand beside me. "That's Bella's father."

"So? Oh shit! He knows?" Jasper's voice rose an octave and I shushed him frantically.

"I don't think so. She hasn't told Alice anything, but she has an inkling and chewed me out pretty good. I can't imagine what Chief Swan would do. But this is not something a girl would talk to her father about, is it?" I questioned anxiously.

"So, she's protective, huh? Loyal. Cute too. Tiny little spitfire. I wonder if—"

" _Jasper Whitlock!_ Can we fucking focus on me for a minute here?" I fumed.

He shrugged casually. "What do I know of girls' relationships with their fathers? There's only one way to find out." With that he turned to go in and I pulled him back. "Dude! What the hell?"

My face must have been fucking terrified, as Jasper's expression softened and he spoke in a much more serious tone than before. "Edward, you can't hide from him or this situation. It is what it is. Even if he knows, you gotta go in there and face him like a man, a good man who's in love with his daughter and will do anything to gain her forgiveness. You've got to prove your worth to him and to Bella. Remember Emmett's golden words from last night?"

A wry smile broke out on my lips. "Stop acting like a pussy?"

He grinned. "Exactly. That's the mantra. It's crude, but it works. Now, come on."

We walked in and all eyes turned to us, but I could only focus on was Bella. The world seemed to fade away as she looked at me for a moment, then averted her eyes but not before a rush of color had made its way to her cheeks.

"Hello, Isabella. I see you have a lot of visitors today." Jasper smiled, his gaze lingering a little longer on Alice.

Jacob and Charlie stepped forward to make introductions, before Jasper went on to examine Bella.

"Everything okay, doc?" Charlie asked him a minute later.

"Yes, the incision is fine," Jasper commented, once he was done. "Just a couple of tests I want to repeat to make sure everything is in order on the inside too. We'll get those done tomorrow. And if you continue to recover this way, we'll have you home in a week or so."

Bella smiled. "So I won't be stuck here for Christmas? Thank you."

"If you have any complaints, ask the nurse to page me anytime, okay? Don't hesitate."

Bella's eyes flickered to me for just a second, then she nodded.

I'd been standing unobtrusively in the corner, but now that Jasper was done, Charlie's attention focused on me. He looked at me, a frown of concentration on his face and I assumed he was trying to figure out where he'd seen me before.

I stepped up to him and held out a hand. "Chief Swan. I'm Edward Cullen. We, uh, met in Forks—"

"Oh yes, of course. I remember now. Carlisle's told me a lot about you, son." He greeted me with a firm but warm handshake. "I didn't realize you worked here, though. You know Bella?"

 _Son._

 _Bella didn't tell him._

"Uh, yeah. We've met," I stammered. "She used to come by the hospital during the summer."

"Right, right. Always working too hard, this one," he chuffed. Charlie's tone was teasing but his eyes shone with unmistakable fatherly pride. "Well, it has paid off."

"It sure has, Chief Swan."

"Please, call me Charlie." His mustache twitched as he smiled.

Jasper finished making notes in the chart and said, "I'm sure the nurse will be here to inform you later, but I thought I should let you know that visiting hours end at four. After that only one of you can stay back here."

"That's fine, Dr. Whitlock. I'll stay," Charlie said.

"No, Dad. I'm fine, you should go and get some rest," Bella protested.

"Bella—"

"Dad," she mimicked. "Look, I know you must have rushed straight from the station. You still in your uniform, for God's sake! You can stay with me right now, but you're going back to Jake's at night."

"I can stay, Bells," Jacob volunteered, his voice much too hopeful for my liking and I tensed.

Bella looked slightly uncomfortable at his suggestion but I couldn't relax fully until Alice piped up, "Boys, please! Take a hint. There are a few things only I can help Bella with, you know. It's settled. I'll go now, take a nap and be back in the evening to take over from you. That's final." She sealed it with a decisive nod and the knot in my chest loosened some.

"Okaaay then," Jasper nodded at her and she smiled back, pleased. "Edward?" He nodded toward the door and I said a quick goodbye before leaving.

"She's doing good, right?" I asked him as we walked down the corridor.

"Yeah, Ed. She's recovering perfectly fine," he reassured me with just a hint of impatience, but he masked it well.

"Thank you for putting up with me, Jazz, I just…"

"I know, man. I know."

* * *

It was almost six when I made my way back home. Alice had come back re-energized and shooed Charlie and Jake away despite their protests.

I dropped in a couple of times to check on Bella. Thankfully, Charlie didn't seem suspicious and talked to me freely about Forks and my parents. Bella didn't say much, just politely answered my questions about pain and such, but she didn't look upset either, which gave me some measure of relief.

In the afternoon, she seemed tired and fell asleep just minutes after Alice arrived, so I left her in peace.

I was hanging up my coat in the living room when my cell rang with a familiar ringtone.

"Hi, Mom."

"Edward, what's wrong?"

 _Damn it, was I that obvious?_

I sighed. "Just tired, Mom."

She actually snorted. "Sweetie, I've been married to a doctor for 35 years. Trust me, I know tired and that's not it. You sound strained, sad."

"Mom, it's nothi—"

I jerked back in surprise as she hung up. A few seconds later, my phone chimed with a Facetime call and the screen lit up with my mother's concerned face.

"There! I knew it!" she exclaimed immediately. "What's wrong, sweetie? No, don't try to deny it, Edward Anthony, I can see it in your eyes."

"Just something to do with a patient, Mom. It's not something I can tell you about," I deflected. Half-truths would have to do till I figured out what exactly to tell my parents about the situation. And until I'd talked to Bella, figured out what she wants, there wasn't anything I could do about it.

Her features softened immediately. "Oh, Edward. I'm sorry. I know it's hard for your father too sometimes, even after all these years. It's what makes me so proud of the two of you, though. You both truly care about your patients. Doctors having that quality are hard to find these days."

I suppressed a wince at the pang of guilt I felt for lying to her, willing my lips to stretch into a smile. "I'll be okay, don't worry. What did you call for, Mom?"

"I almost forgot! You haven't told me when you're coming home. Have you still not booked your flight? Christmas is just a week away!" she chided.

A jolt of panic shot through me at the thought of leaving the city now, leaving Bella. I couldn't leave. Not now, not when I'd just found her.

"I, uh, I can't make it this time, Mom."

Her brow furrowed. " _What?_ Why? It's Christmas, baby. We always spend it together."

My mind raced to make up plausible reasons that would convince her. "I know, Mom. But, I can't leave this, um, this patient of mine. I need to stay here. I've been treating her for a long time and it's crucial that I monitor her myself right now."

She sighed. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do? We can't come up this year, either. One of Carlisle's colleagues is retiring, so they have a huge farewell-cum-Christmas party planned for him at Town Hall."

I chuckled. "Forks Town Hall, huh? Wow, it's bound to be a big celebration, then."

"Indeed! That's the only place in town large enough to fit everyone," she chortled. "Dr. Snow has been serving the people of Forks all his life, I'm sure there will be a huge crowd in his honor."

"Well, you guys have fun. I'm really sorry about Christmas, Mom. I promise I'll make it up to you soon."

"I understand, honey. It's okay. I'll hold you to that promise, though."

"Count on it."

"Alright, dear, I'll let you go, then. Be sure to catch up on some rest, okay? I know your patients come first, but you're no good to them if you're tired."

"Will do, Mom."

We chatted for another minute before bidding goodbye. Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I sat there for a while, contemplating the mess I'd made.

At this point, I could only hope that Bella would give me another chance to prove my worth and the depth of my feelings for her. Jacob's face flashed in my mind, but I pushed that thought away. No point in torturing myself further with questions I had no answers for.

I switched on the TV and watched a few mindless sitcoms while I had my dinner. The endless thoughts swirling in my head didn't allow them to hold my interest, so eventually, I gave up and headed to bed early.

The next morning, I reported at the hospital at seven and rounded on my patients first. When I walked to Bella's room, Charlie was there.

"I _cannot_ believe the nerve of that woman!" he fumed, pacing around the room.

"Dad, calm down. It's alright," Bella said to him softly, before her eyes flickered to me. "Oh!"

"Good morning." I smiled hesitantly. "Everything alright?"

The sound of a ringtone interrupted whatever Charlie was about to say. He fished out a phone out of his pocket and excused himself, walking out of the room.

I looked at Bella expectantly and she sighed. "It's my mom. I visit her every Christmas. Since I obviously can't go this time, Charlie asked her to come here instead. He can't stay, they're always short-staffed at Forks and the others have families to spend holidays with. He's already taken a week off to visit now, he needs to back after that."

"Okay, so?"

She grimaced, rolling her eyes. "Mom can't make it either. Phil has… something, some event, I don't know exactly. But the point is that Charlie's freaking out about me being alone."

I frowned. "What about Alice?"

"I don't need anyone to babysit me, Edward," she snapped. "Alice's parents are celebrating their twenty fifth wedding anniversary on the 27th of December. I am _not_ allowing her to stay here and miss out because of me!"

I held up my hands. "Okay! I'm sorry," I said, making my voice as soothing as I could. "I didn't know that."

"Dr. Whitlock said I'd be home by the 23rd anyway. After that, I only need to come in for a check-up a week later. It's not like I'm handicapped. I can manage myself at the dorm."

Charlie had come in by then, and he frowned, listening to the end of her statement. "I'm just worried about you, Bella. You've had a major surgery, you need _someone_ here. Just in case."

"Dad, by that time, it'll ten days post the surgery and you heard Dr. Whitlock, I'm recovering well enough to be-"

"I'll help."

It was only when two pairs of startled, brown eyes turned to me did I realize that my lips had moved and formed the words without any conscious knowledge on my part.

* * *

 **A/N: So...? What do you think about Edward the Babysitter? And Charlie... as you expected or did he surprise you?  
**

 **I'll have chapter 5 posted this weekend, then Chapter 6- the eagerly awaited "Talk"- next weekend.**

 **Enjoy the rest of the week!**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: As always, thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa! They give me the confidence to post my ramblings.**

 **So... We got past the 100 reviews mark! THANK YOU! I'm grateful for every single one of you who took the time to share their thoughts with me :)**

 **Disclaimer- Twilight: Not Mine. Plot: Mine.**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

Once the words were out, there was no going back.

 _I didn't want to go back._

"I'll help out in whatever way I can," I repeated. "I'm not going home for Christmas this time. I'll be here and check in on Bella."

"There's no need—"

Charlie silenced her with a glare and then turned to me with narrowed, speculative eyes. "You're sure about this, son? Can I trust you with my daughter's care?"

Bolstering my confidence, I met his gaze head on. "Yes, absolutely, Charlie. I'll visit or call Bella every day, if needed."

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not even here!" Bella groaned. "Edward, you don't have to-"

"Please, Bella. It's no bother at all. I'd be happy to do it and I'm sure it'd give Charlie some peace of mind if he knew you had someone to help you out if the need be. And, besides, we're friends, right? This is what friends do, isn't it?" I implored.

"Friends," she repeated but her tone was flat enough that I couldn't make out the emotion behind it.

"It's true," Charlie interrupted, oblivious to the tension between the two of us. "I'd feel much better knowing you're in safe hands, Bella. I've heard enough about Edward from Carlisle and Esme to know that I can trust him. And, if you even think about fighting this arrangement, young lady, trust me, come hell or high water I will not be getting on the flight to Forks. The department can manage itself for all I care, but I'm not going to leave until I know for sure that you'll be okay." He reached out to hold Bella's hand, his voice turning gentle. "I'm sorry, Bella, I know I'm being pushy but I came too close to losing you. Please, just let Edward be there for you for the sake of your old man's sanity, okay?"

I breathed a sigh of relief as Bella's eyes softened. With an indulgent expression, she squeezed his hand. "Alright, Dad. I'm sorry. If this is what makes you feel better, then I'll stop being so difficult."

I smiled wistfully, my heart clenching in my chest as I saw them hug each other with obvious affection. Bella had not spent a lot of time with her father, and yet the strong bond between the two was clear as day for anyone to see. I wondered just how selfish Renee would have to be for not having appreciated her gem of a daughter.

I felt a whole lot more grateful for my own loving mother and promised myself to never take her for granted.

I chatted with Charlie for a few minutes, my hopeful heart leaping into my throat with when Bella would chime in occasionally. Soon enough, I was paged to the ER for an incoming trauma and spent the rest of the day in the operating room.

The next several days passed much the same. I'd come in, round up on my patients and perform my scheduled surgeries, checking in on Bella during every little bit of my free time. She always seemed to have someone with her. Between Alice, Charlie, Jacob and a couple of her other friends, I could hardly ever get her alone for more than a couple of minutes. A part of me was happy that she was surrounded by people who cared for her, but there was another part, the selfish one, that wished for a few moments alone with her. The seed of hope that had begun to bloom in my heart seemed to dwindle when Bella made no mention of our impending "talk".

Time passed much too quickly and before I knew it, it was the 23rd of December and we were all convened in Bella's room where Jasper was examining her vitals and latest reports.

He looked up from the chart with a smile. "Everything looks good from my end, Bella. If you're don't have any other complaints, I'm ready to discharge you."

I watched as a wide smile stretched over Bella's lips. "I'm good. Just the pain that flares up once in a while, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Yeah, it might take a couple of weeks for the pain to disappear completely, but you have the meds, right? If there is too much discomfort, don't hesitate to take them. Also, you have my number. Contact me anytime, whether directly or through Edward, whatever you're comfortable with."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Please, call me Jasper."

He rattled off a few more instructions about keeping the incision site clean and taking it easy, as Bella, Charlie and Alice listened closely.

Soon enough, Charlie was picking up the bags while Alice helped Bella into her own clothes in the washroom.

"Thank you for everything, Edward. Please, keep me posted about Bella. I'd like to know that everything's fine. If I keep calling her twice a day, though, I know she'd chew my head off." Charlie said. He held out his hand and shook mine. "I know why she's being stubborn about it, she's just not used to being taken care of. Renee was always-," he broke off, sighed and shook his head. "I do not understand that woman at all. How can a mother not want to visit her child when she's in a bloody hospital?"

I was glad when Bella stepped into the room and the subject was dropped. I certainly did not want to voice the vitriol that would have spewed out of my mouth at the thought of Renee's callous attitude towards Bella.

Charlie walked out with the bags and Alice followed, waving an awkward, hesitant little goodbye to me.

Slowly, I turned around to look at the last and the most important person who remained in the room with me. I steeled myself for whatever I might find when I looked into the chocolate depth of her eyes.

I was surprised to find that the same apprehension that rocked me to my core was displayed plainly on her beautiful features. That poor lower lip of hers was wedged between her teeth as she met my gaze for a second and looked away, her body language the ultimate picture of indecision.

I took a step forward. "Bella-"

"I'll-uh, I'll talk to you later." With that, she rushed out of the room and I was left alone to nurse my shattered hope.

It was not easy, but I was able to take my mind off everything for a few hours when I had some cases to deal with in the clinic and then finished my evening rounds. Soon enough, I was back at my apartment, alone and miserable.

While I ate my dinner, my hand itched to grab at my phone and call Bella, maybe just listen to the sound of her voice for a second before hanging up.

I sighed despondently at myself the very next second, because if I did implement that stupid idea of mine, Bella would know by the caller id that it was me who'd called and the _last_ thing I needed was her wondering if I was a crazy stalker.

I put in a DVD, hoping to distract myself by my eyes kept sliding to the inconspicuous little object that was my phone as it sat innocently on the side table.

She looked so nervous before leaving today. To my eyes, she looked just like I felt all the time- like there was so much we wanted to say to each other but had no idea where to start or how it would be received. Of course, she'd be nervous. I'd been the one to leave her in Forks and now here I was, trying to get her to talk to me like it was the only thing I'd ever want in my life.

" _Stop acting like a pussy!"_ Emmett's boisterous command swept through my mind. I needed to make the first move. I needed to assure her that I was in this, whatever the hell this was, for as long as she'll let me be.

After half an hour of my internal debate, I said, or well, thought " _Fuck it!"_ and picked up the phone and typed out a message.

 _Hope you're settled in and doing good. ~Edward_

With bated breath, I waited for a response, staring at the screen for a couple of minutes. When nothing popped up, I made up excuses, trying to squash my disappointment.

 _Maybe she was asleep, or probably busy with school work…_

Another ten minutes later, I'd given up on my expectation to receive a reply from Bella until the next morning at least. I was about to head into the shower when the sound of a notification made my heart pound in my chest as I ran the distance from the bathroom to my bed, where I'd placed my phone.

With shaking hands, I unlocked the screen.

 _Yes, I'm good. Thank you. ~Bella_

I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding as I read the text. It was just a simple message, but I would take what I could get. Just the fact that she'd chosen to respond to me and not ignore my message was like a soothing balm for my aching soul.

I tried to think of some way to prolong the conversation when suddenly, there was another chime.

Gulping, I opened up the new message from Bella.

 _What are your plans for Christmas Eve? ~B_

My eyes widened and I had to steady myself to prevent the phone from slipping out of my hand.

I rushed to type.

 _Nothing so far. Did you have something in mind? ~E_

 _Maybe it's time for us to talk. I'm tired of this… conversation hanging over our heads. It's about time that we resolve this, don't you think? ~B_

 _Yes, yes, I agree. So… tomorrow evening? ~E_

 _If that suits you. ~B_

 _That would be perfect, actually. ~E_

 _Okay, it's settled then. Good night. ~B_

 _Sleep well. Sweet dreams. ~E_

And that was that.

With one little textual conversation, I'd set up the date for the most important… meeting, I guess one could call it, of my life.

I walked into the bathroom and went through the motions of brushing my teeth and showering, my conscious mind paying absolutely no attention to the activities. Instead, it was solely focused on predicting the outcome of what was to occur tomorrow evening.

It was only once I'd lain in bed, tossing and turning for an hour straight, that I forced myself to accept the fact that it all depended on Bella. All I could do was bare my soul before her and I vowed to myself to do that honestly and sincerely.

I'd let her see every part of me, so that this time, this time she could decide for herself what she wanted. If there was any chance that she'd want to be in a relationship with me, it would only be after she knew me inside and out.

I owed her that opportunity and that's exactly what I'd give her.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, I promise you... Next up is their talk. I really hope it will live up to your expectations.**

 **Tell me what you're thinking in a a review.**

 **FB: I'm Kayla Cullen**

 **Twitter: I'm CullenRobsessed (But, I'm not there often.)**

 **See you all next weekend!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : I'm just gonna say a quick thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa for working on this story and let you move on to the chapter... Because I'm pretty sure you would have barely skimmed through this note if it'd been longer, everyone wants THE TALK!**

 **So, here it is... Enjoy ;) And don't forget to review when you're done!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6**

For the first time in my life, I stood in front of the mirror for ten minutes, deep in thought as I stared at my reflection, looking it over carefully from the top of my head to my feet. I had spent the past ten minutes in that very same position, fretting over the untamable state of my hair.

After another couple of texts in the morning, Bella and I had decided to meet at her dorm, though the location was less than ideal for the much needed privacy for this discussion. Her truck had not made it through the accident and the cost of repairs would have been more than the rusty, old thing was worth. She'd opted for a temporary replacement from the insurance company, but I didn't want her driving all the way to my place and back alone in the dark so soon after the accident. Of course, that stubborn, independent girl wouldn't even hear of me picking her up and dropping her off.

Plus, the slight edge in her voice when she refused to do this at my place alerted me to the fact that she'd probably be more comfortable in familiar surroundings and so, I let the matter drop.

I did put my foot down over buying dinner, though. I phoned in and placed the order at a restaurant in my locality, which was known especially for its healthier food and collected it on my way to Bella's dorm.

Before I knew it, I found myself standing in front of the apartment-like complex. Checking Bella's text to make sure I had the right address, I walked ahead and climbed a flight of stairs to reach the second floor, where Bella and Alice stayed.

I adjusted my grip on the bags in my hands, resisting the urge to run my fingers through my hair as I always did when I was nervous. Without giving myself a chance to freak out any more, I raised my hand and quickly knocked on the door.

I could _feel_ the pounding rhythm of my heart as I heard shuffling on the other side. I held my breath as the door opened, just a sliver first and then fully, and there she was.

In a pair of skin tight black jeans paired with some sort of a frilly red blouse, her lips shimmering the lightest of pinks, her dark hair flowing in loose waves down to her waist, her eyes wide and glowing with anticipation and the most beautiful shade of her natural rosy blush across her cheekbones, she was the perfect combination of innocence and sultriness.

I stared at her, just drinking in the beauty in her simplicity with my mouth agape until she cleared her throat once, inviting me in.

"You, uh, you look beautiful," I stammered, praying that she'd not get uncomfortable by the compliment that I couldn't help but give.

"Thank you," she said in the softest of voices, a blush spreading farther over her delicate skin. It was a relief to see that the bruises from the accident that'd marred her beautiful face were almost gone.

I looked around the room, a common living room with a couch, a coffee table and a large bookcase at one end and a kitchen with a two-seater dining table at the other. To the left was a narrow hallway, at the end of which were three doors. The flooring was covered by rich, brown rugs and thick, maroon curtains covered up the windows.

"Here, let me take that," Bella said, picking the bags out of my hands and placing them on a table while I took off my heavy jacket.

"I know it's not much of a Christmas dinner, but I got you a sandwich and some salad, I hope that's okay. With the surgery, I didn't want to get something too greasy and I know this place, the food is always very hygienic and safe," I rambled until she turned away from the bag and looked at me.

The feeling that coursed through me when I saw that her lips had stretched into a small, but genuine smile was pure, undiluted joy. It was the first one I'd gotten from her since she'd opened her eyes in the hospital and I cherished it.

"It's fine, Edward. I was sold when I pulled out the BLT. I didn't plan on having something fancy until my next check-up anyway."

"Loads of ketchup, no mustard. Just the way you like it." I smiled back. "Oh, and there's ginger ale in there too."

This time, I was gifted with a much wider smile before she turned back and started plating the food.

I was glancing at the two photo frames placed on the table when she spoke again. The hesitancy in her voice this time was clear as day and my own anxiety sky rocketed in response.

"I, um, I- I know you're here to talk, but maybe, we could have dinner first? Watch a movie?" she stammered. "Nana and I… we'd always watch Christmas movies on the eve and I've continued our tradition until now."

I walked up to her, gently turning her around by the shoulders and gazed into her nervous eyes. "I'd be honored to share that tradition with you, Bella."

It was true. I _was_ amazed and awed and so very grateful about the fact that she'd allowed me a chance to explain to her the reasons behind my hurtful actions towards her in Forks and here she was, sharing another piece of her, one that was so close to her heart, with me.

A little bit more relaxed for the time being, we settled down on the couch with our food and drinks as Bella put on the TV and pulled out a recording of A Christmas Carol.

The next two hours passed comfortably as we lost our selves in Mr. Scrooge's life, or rather, Bella lost herself in the movie while I watched her, entranced by her smiles, her gasps, her sniffles. I imagined her as a little girl, sitting with her Nana, wide-eyed and innocent, delighting in the miracles of Christmas as they watched the films together. It was definitely something that would never get old.

A couple of times, Bella glanced at me and met my eyes, but she didn't say anything, just averted her gaze back to the screen quickly.

Sitting with her like this took me back in time to the summer we spent together, when she freed me from the troubles that had plagued me ever since my divorce. I longed for that time when I had her unbridled friendship and more than anything, I wanted it back.

Time passed much too quickly for my liking, and I was startled out of my reverie when Bella turned off the TV and went into the kitchen to put away the dishes. I did the same, washing my hands at the sink and slowly made my way back to the couch. Bella joined me a minute later.

Few moments passed as we sat there is awkward silence, not knowing where to start, what to say. Taking a deep breath, I turned to her. She was sitting stiffly, back straight, her slender fingers anxiously picking at the hem of her blouse.

"Bella," I started, then paused. "I'm sorry." I guess that was as good a starting point as any.

Slowly, she turned towards me, her expression open, though her eyes held apprehension. She didn't say anything, just pulled up her legs onto the couch, tucking them under herself and looked at me intently, expectantly.

She wanted to hear what I had to say first. Fair enough, I had her attention. I started talking.

"When I came to Forks, I-I was lost, Bella. All my life, I'd seen my parents enjoy a beautiful, loving relationship. They're crazier for each other today than they were on their wedding day. Countless times, I've heard my Dad say that he's fallen more and more in love with her every day they've spent together. Those were the ideals I grew up with. In my mind, marriage was synonymous with forever."

I paused, looking down at my hands.

"When Irina… When she cheated on me, it was as if my whole world crumbled right before my eyes. And the worst part was, that the…the _fucking_ hurt, the _anger_ I felt towards her was tinged with the awareness that I wasn't as shocked at the demise of my marriage as I should have been. It was only when I was filing for divorce that I realized that I never should have married Irina in the first place. I wanted what my parents had so badly, that I didn't stop to consider that Irina and I were too different. It hurt to realize that I just overlooked it because of the rose colored glasses I saw our relationship through at that time.

"And then…" I faced her. "You walked into my life. As cheesy as it sounds, trust me when I say that you were the only bright spot in the dull grey of my life. Seeing you every day, talking to you, laughing with you, teaching you… I didn't even realize how you'd pieced me back together bit by bit, didn't realize how much I'd begun to look forward to the mornings to get a chance to see you."

Bella was still silent, giving me no indication about her thoughts, but her eyes roamed over my face as I talked and I wondered if she could gauge my honesty and the depth of my feelings for her.

Taking a deep breath, I worked up the courage to move on to the hardest part.

"That day in the meadow, I… Everything you told me about yourself, your Nana, your goal in life… I was so in awe of you, Bella. Even in the face of loss, you were so… _strong_ , determined and I wished that I could be like you. I was-"

"So, that's all it was?" she interrupted, and the sadness in her voice ripped right through my core. "You kissed me because, what, you admired me?"

I frowned. "No, no, Bella. That's not-" I shook my head, raking a frustrated hand through my hair.

 _I couldn't afford to fuck this up._

 _Honestly and sincerely,_ I reminded myself.

"I kissed you that day because-" I sighed. "I kissed you because the sight of you in that meadow, with your tear-stained cheeks, your hair shining with just a tinge of red in the sunlight and your shimmering, dark eyes as you shared a little piece of your soul with me, was the most breathtaking one I'd ever seen."

I heard her sharp intake of breath at my truthful words, but I kept going. "The feelings that you invoked in me in that one month's time were deeper than what I'd felt for Irina for the duration of our marriage and I know, _I know_ , that sounds cold of me, but I promised myself I'd be completely honest with you. You've given me a chance, and I have no intention of wasting it." My voice, my eyes, my heart pleaded with her to understand. I couldn't tell her I loved her, not yet. I had yet to earn that opportunity, but I was trying my best to assure her of my affection.

"I just… I just wasn't ready, Bella. I wasn't ready to accept my feelings for you. Irina's betrayal was still fresh in my mind, and the fact that you were in high school…" I shook my head. "I couldn't see any way that it would work."

"That does not give you the right to kiss me and then run away without even talking to me, Edward!" she snapped, eyes blazing and I winced. "Do you want to know what I was thinking when you left me alone in the meadow? I was thinking that I'd made such a big fool of myself by kissing you like that. I was embarrassed as hell that I'd practically thrown myself at you when you did not want any part of me and clearly regretted what had happened between us." By the end of her statement, the fury in her eyes melted away, leaving behind raw sadness. "I've spent every single day since then believing that you didn't want me," she whispered. A lone tear slipped out from her eye and she wiped it away roughly.

"No, Bella," I pleaded, reaching out to take her hand. "That could not be further from the truth. Please, I know I've hurt you but for once, but try to believe me when I say that I've cared for you since the day I met you and it was in your meadow that I realized how much I wanted you. I just thought that I'd be nothing but a hindrance in your life, tying you down, preventing you from achieving everything you'd always wanted. I ran away for the very reason that I wanted you far too much for your own good."

Dubious eyes looked at me through a thin sheen of moisture. "You didn't regret kissing me?"

"I did," I told her honestly, wiping away the lone tear that trickled down her cheek. "But only because I knew at that time, I couldn't give you the relationship that you deserved and I had no right to lead you on like that."

"At that time?" she echoed. "And now?"

I breathed deeply. "Now, I want nothing more than to be with you. You deserve the world, Bella and I want to be the one to give it to you, if you'll let me."

Her lower lip trembled before she bit down on it, her eyes falling on our joined hands, where I'd been subconsciously stroking her knuckles.

Letting out a shaky breath, she looked at me again. "I don't know. I feel like I don't know anything anymore. Everything I've believed in the past year, you're telling me I had it all wrong and yet… What has changed, Edward? Yes, I'm here in New York now, but I'll always be fifteen years younger than you. If that is something that bothers you, then what's the point of trying to do this when someday something will set you off and-" she broke off, shaking her head sadly. "I won't be able to bear it again."

"I came too close to losing you forever, Bella, that's what has changed. It sounds horrible that something so drastic had to happen to force me to introspect, but it's true," I admitted. "When you were in the OR, all I could think was how fucking stupid I'd been to let you go. All those reasons that had sounded so damn reasonable to me once upon a time now seemed… insignificant."

I paused for a moment.

"You were _seventeen_ , Bella. A high school student. I-I'll admit that I was scared. I was afraid of what everyone would think. Your Dad would definitely not have approved of you getting involved with a 32 year old man. I felt like the universe was working against us." I looked down at my hands. "And mostly, I didn't even think that your feelings for me, if you had any, would… well, last. I thought it was probably a teenage crush, and when you'd get over it, you'd want nothing more to do with me. I didn't have the courage to face that scenario." I met her gaze again. "Now that I've found you again, I can't help but think that fate has somehow brought you back in my life and this time, I can't just let you go. I'll fight for you, to show you that I'm worthy of you. You're perfect to me the way you are, nothing else matters. Not age, distance, nothing. I understand better now that nothing worth having in life comes easy. We have to work for it and I'm willing to do that."

"I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm scared to let you in. I'm scared to trust you."

"I know," I said, past the sudden, painful lump in my throat. "I don't deserve your trust. But, I'm asking, no, _begging_ for the chance to earn it, Bella. You don't have to make me any promises. Let's just spend some time together, get to know each other all over again. That's all I'm asking for." I paused, lost in thought for a few seconds. "How about this? This week... Will you spend it with me? If, by then end of it, you want nothing to do with me, then I'll never bother you again."

The silence that followed my heartfelt plea was unnerving to say the least. I'd done my part, laid my heart out for her to see and now, it was up to her. If she asked me to get out of her place right now, it wouldn't be less than what I deserved. But, selfish as I was, I wanted that second chance. I wanted to show her that I could be good enough for her, for her friendship, for her love.

I watched her face as she mulled it over, but her eyes were closed, so I had no way to predict what was going on in her mind.

Finally, _finally_ , she looked up at me, the set of her brow and her straightened shoulders clearly showed that she'd made her decision.

I waited with a pounding heart and bated breath to find out what it was.

* * *

 **A/N: Did you see the teaser I posted for this chapter on FB? I'll do one for the next chapter too, maybe Wednesday... so keep an eye out if you want it ;)**

 **So...yeah. *runs and hides***


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello! Here's Bella's answer ;)  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or the little poem I've used in this chapter. I found it through the wonderful thing that is Google and it seemed to fit perfectly for my Olderward's situation, so all credit goes to whoever is the owner. I did my best in the research and to make the locations I've mentioned as realistic as I could, but I might have taken some creative liberties, since I'm not a resident of New York (Or USA, for that matter). So, please allow me that.**

 **Diane (OTB) was kind enough to make me a beautiful banner... Thank you!**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 & Melissa... Thank you! xoxo**

 **Now go read! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7**

Okay.

One little word. Four letters. Two syllables.

A simple expression millions of people use hundred times a day.

But for me, that one word became _everything_ \- friendship, love, life, hope- when it slipped out through Bella's lips last night.

 _"Okay."_

 _I blinked, disbelieving. "Okay?"_

 _"Yes. One week. Show me the real you, show me that I can trust you."_

 _A wide grin slowly stretched across my lips as it sank in._

 _She was giving me another chance. She was agreeing to try to make this work._

 _I squeezed her hand. "Thank you. I won't let you down, Bella."_

 _She smiled back for a moment, a tentative yet hopeful smile that lit up my world. I frowned when seconds later, her face fell._

 _"What's wrong?"_

 _She sighed. "Nothing."_

 _"It's clearly something if it has made you upset. Please, tell me?"_

 _"You don't want to hear it, Edward."_

 _"Don't do that, please. We've always been able to talk to each other freely before. Don't shut me out now."_

 _"It's just…" she hesitated. "I'm not looking forward to the conversation I'm about to have with Jake."_

 _Unbidden, the memory of burly, copper-skinned arms wrapped around Bella's form flashed in my mind and I suppressed a wince._

 _Refusing to let my thoughts wander down an explosive road without any details, I asked, "What, uh, what do you mean? Are you both- Is he-" I couldn't finish my thought but the pink tinge in her cheeks told me that Bella understood._

 _"No. I mean, not really?" Her uncertainty made it sound like a question. "He's asked me out several times since we joined college, but, I-I always said no. Last week-" she paused and looked down. "Last week, he became really persistent. He threatened to camp out right here outside our door until I agreed to go out with him. So, I figured, I'd do it once and then tell him it didn't work out." She shrugged, but I doubted her plan would have worked if the asshole was determined to have her. "It was his apartment I was returning from when I met with the accident."_

 _"You had a date at his place?" I felt like I'd been sucker-punched in the gut._

 _"More like a game party. We were heading out to a restaurant when his friends showed up unannounced for the game and he couldn't refuse them."_

 _I guess the guy really was an inconsiderate asshole._

 _Just saying._

 _Not that I was an example worth following._

 _"Anyway, there's nothing between us, but with the accident, I haven't had a chance to tell him that. I'm pretty sure Jacob has other ideas in his head." She sighed. "I'll have to talk to him if we're really going to do this."_

 _"If you want, I could do it for you," I offered. I had a quite a few choice words for Jacob in my mind._

 _Bella threw me a knowing glance. "No, thank you. I can manage it. I don't want or need a pissing contest in my life. Jake has been a good friend since we were kids, I don't want you arguing or fighting with him."_

 _I huffed. "Fine. But, promise me you'll tell me if he becomes… well, more than what you can handle."_

 _"He's not going to hurt me, Edward," she scoffed with an eye-roll. "I'll be fine."_

 _Though I was not entirely convinced, I gave up for the time being._

And that was why I woke up on Christmas morning with a big smile on my face. The last evening played over and over in my mind as I showered, shaved and got dressed, whistling a cheerful little tune.

The next hour was spent in the kitchen as I prepared a picnic of sorts. Once that was done, I rooted around in my closet until I found the gift-wrapped rectangular box I wanted, grabbed my jacket and a beanie and then headed out.

Thirty minutes later, I stood once again at Bella's door. My demeanor was completely different this time around. Much more confident than I had been yesterday, I resisted the urge to bounce on my toes as I knocked quickly and excitedly.

"Hey," Bella smiled as she opened the door. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Bella." She stepped aside, inviting me in.

She turned toward her room, but I stopped her, holding out the gift I'd brought.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Edward," Bella said, her brow furrowed as she took it from my hand.

I simply said, "I wanted to."

She glanced at the little card on the top and gasped. I held my breath as she read through the words that expressed so perfectly what I wanted to say to her.

 _Can we start over?_

 _Can we be strangers again?_

 _Let me introduce myself_

 _We can laugh and talk_

 _And relearn what we already know_

 _And come up with new inside jokes_

 _And create new memories_

 _And give each other_

 _A second chance._

She looked at me, chocolate eyes brimming with emotions and a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you, that's… that's perfect, actually."

"I'm glad you like it, Bella, but I'm getting really antsy here! Open it," I prompted.

She giggled and we both took a seat on the couch as she gently tore the wrapping paper. Her hand flew to her mouth when she read the words on the package.

"It's a Littmann," she whispered.

"Of course! The very best stethoscope for the best doctor-to-be," I replied.

"I love it, Edward. Thank you." She beamed and quickly put the buds in her ears, tapping lightly at the diaphragm.

I grinned, happy and relieved. With so little time, my options for Bella's gift were pretty limited and when I thought about what she'd love, I knew it had to be something related to medicine. I was honored to give her her very first stethoscope.

"I didn't get you anything," Bella said softly, her lips turned down in a frown.

"You've given me a second chance. It means more than anything else in the world," I replied honestly, sincerely. "That's all I need."

She blushed and changed the subject. "You never told me where we are going."

Last night before leaving, I'd asked Bella about the places she'd already seen in the city and when she mentioned that she hadn't done much sightseeing besides the Empire State and Times Square, I had thought of Central Park.

"Really?" she gasped, when I'd said as much, brown eyes sparkling. "I've always wanted to go, but believe it or not, I've never had the chance. I usually just go over to little park next to the campus when I want to read or unwind and stuff."

"Then I'm glad to be sharing your first Central Park experience with you." I smiled.

Bella rushed to her room and came out wearing a lavender sweater paired with dark jeans and a deep blue jacket over it. Wrapping a scarf around a neck, she was ready to go.

I paced myself ahead of her as we walked out of the building and opened the car door for her.

She paused for a second, turning to me with a raised brow, before getting in.

"What was that all about?" I asked, getting into the driver's seat and heading out.

"It's just, um, your car. It's different from what I expected."

"What does that mean?"

I watched as she bit her lip and shrugged. "You just didn't seem like an Audi sports car type to me. No offense."

I chuckled. "Well, what did you imagine?"

"A Volvo, maybe. More practical."

I hesitated over my next words, then decided to go ahead. Today was about getting to know each other, after all. "Irina hated sports cars for some reason and she wouldn't let me buy one either. She always wanted the sedans and the SUVs. After the divorce, this was a little rebellion on my part. A little Independence Day gift to myself, really."

To my relief, Bella giggled and shook her head. "Boys and their toys."

She reached out to change the radio station and we both settled in comfortably for the rest of the drive as Debussy's notes played softly in the background.

The wrought iron gate of Central Park was beautiful, decked up with little flecks of snow from last night. The morning was bright, the air crisp, but thankfully not too chilly.

Bella and I started off with our walk, not aiming for any particular direction, just traveling the path where our feet took us as we talked about anything and everything. My hand itched to reach out and hold hers, but I fought the urge by hooking my thumbs into the strap of the backpack I carried.

Bella stopped to snap a picture in her phone every few minutes, apologizing, but I assured her that I didn't mind. My personal favorite was the one I took of her in front of one of the few decorated Christmas tress we'd come across in our path. She was smiling widely in the picture, a few tendrils of her hair swaying in the gentle wind, a dimple showing in her chin. She was exquisite in her excitement, all pink cheeks and twinkling eyes that made my heart swell.

We were nearing the Turtle Pond, when I heard a slight rumble from Bella's stomach. She turned to me with a sheepish smile and I chuckled, leading us to a nearby bench.

Bella went to sit, but I stopped her. She looked at me, adorably confused, smiling when she saw me pull out a blanket from my bag pack and spread it on the bench.

We took a seat, and I pulled a thermos with two plastic glasses. Bella took them from me and poured it while I grabbed the container with foil wrapped grilled cheese sandwiches and some crackers.

She took a sip of the tomato soup, thankfully it had remained warm, and her eyes widened. "Did you… make this?"

"Yeah. I, uh, I'm sorry it's not much," I stuttered. "Seems like that's what I'm telling you every day."

Bella frowned. "Shush, Edward. I was about to say that it is delicious. There's just something so comforting about home-made soup. And trust me, you can _never_ go wrong with cheese."

I let out a relieved breath and smiled. "Thank you. I am not much of a chef, but soup and grilled cheese was something my mother insisted every man should know. Oh, and eggs too."

"She sounds like a wise woman. I've met her a few times in the grocery store."

"Really? She never said," I stated, then realized that Mom had no reason to tell me about meeting Bella. She didn't know about our relationship, now or before. I pushed that thought away for the time being.

The topic of parents led us to Charlie and I informed Bella that I had indeed sent him a text message, letting him know that she was doing fine and had received a 'Thank you' in reply.

"Wow, he must like you if he texted you back," Bella told me. "He's not a fan of texting, says the keys are too small for him to type out a damn sentence."

"Oh, um…" I hesitated. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that. I texted him because, well, because he intimidates me, so I wouldn't know what to say to him."

She waved it off. "You don't need to apologize. I'm always telling him to learn and use newer technologies, at least the basic one, so if anything, you made him take a step in the right direction." She paused. "And you don't need to be afraid of him, Edward. He doesn't know anything about us."

"Ha! Yeah, I figured that when he didn't threaten to shoot me that first day in the hospital." I shuddered at the thought and Bella smothered a laugh. "You'll have to tell him someday, though. If…If you decide to give this a chance, of course," I added.

A moment passed in silence.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she said simply and I left it at that.

We spent the next hour eating, drinking and people-watching.

"What about them?" I pointed with my eyes to a couple sitting on a bench across the path from us, far enough that they couldn't hear us talking.

Not that they would've noticed, because they seemed to be involved in a heated argument.

"Hmmm," Bella mused. "The guy? He's a 108 year old vampire, see he's got dark circles under his eyes… Probably hasn't fed in a while. And the girl is human, and she wants to have sex with him. But, vampire dude is saving himself for marriage. She's trying to convince him, but it doesn't seem to be working."

Hearing her speak of sex did certain things to my body. As a distraction, I pulled out the little container full of berries that I'd brought and offered Bella some, changing the topic. "And that guy?"

"The one with the shaggy hair?" She cocked her head to one side. "He is a part of a tribe where men turn into wolves. Werewolves. They're mortal enemies of the vampires, did you know that? Maybe he's here to keep an eye on the other dude. You know why his hair is so long?"

I struggled to keep a straight face. "Um, no."

"Because it's cold! They need to keep it long. Otherwise when they're in wolf form, they have no fur to keep their poor bodies warm!"

That was it. I snorted, loud enough for a passerby to look at us curiously and cracked up, laughing until tears ran down my cheeks. "How the hell do you come up with this stuff?" I wheezed out between bouts of laughter.

Bella couldn't hold it in anymore either and joined me in my chuckles.

Once we'd had our fill of food and laughter, we started off in the direction of the Belvedere Castle. We stepped onto the large, outdoor patio to take in the spectacular view of the park and the city.

"It's gorgeous," Bella sighed.

"Yes. Gorgeous," I repeated in a whisper, never looking away from her face.

We moved on to the Bow Bridge next and Bella squealed, clapping her hands together like a little girl while I couldn't help laughing.

"What?" she pouted. "I love _You've Got Mail_."

My gaze fell to her lips of their own accord, and the memory of that soft, plump lower lip sliding perfectly against mine invaded my mind.

I shook my head and blocked that thought to find Bella already standing against the backdrop of the bridge, waving me over.

I realized that she'd given her phone to a woman passing by, who indicated me to go and stand with Bella so that she could take our picture.

I shot her a grateful smile and walked briskly to Bella. Without thinking, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to my side. The very next moment, I was plagued by the worry that I'd over stepped my boundaries. I turned to find Bella already looking at me.

 _Is this okay?_ My eyes desperately sought an answer.

With a soft smile, she gently raised her arm, resting it against my back. The simple, yet monumental action nearly brought me to my knees as my lips turned up in pure, undiluted happiness.

* * *

 **A/N: The date is not over yet! We have more of it next chapter.**

 **I've maintained a regular posting schedule so far, but I am sorry, I will not be able to post for the next two weeks due to my exams. I've already started working on the next one, so I can promise you that as soon as exams are over, I'll be back with the chapter and I don't expect any delays after that. Wish me luck, won't you? I really need it... Med school is tough. (yeah, I put that out there hoping that you'll understand and be patient with me.)**

 **In the meantime, go read the Meet The Mate contest entries! I might have one there ;) There are many good ones and plenty more to come. And don't forget to leave the authors some love! You can find the link in my favorite authors list.**

 **Thanks for reading :) See you soon.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I am back! Did you miss me? No...? Maybe Olderward, then?**

 **Tarbecca was kind enough to rec Start Over at ADF, and that has brought me a whole bunch of new readers.** ** _Hi there! *waves* Welcome!_**

 **To my lovely old readers, thank you for your patience and all your wishes, my exams went well. I'm so excited to be back with this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer-** **I don't own Twilight, you're aware of that by now :P**

 **Last time, we saw a part of the date... Here's some more of it... Picking up exactly where we left it. Enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The sound of a _click_ pulled me out of the stupor and I turned to look at the smiling woman who was now motioning for us to pose for another picture.

She clicked a few more, this time with both of us smiling toward the camera and then bid us goodbye.

We started walking in another direction now, stopping every now and then to look at the sights and taking more pictures.

A few minutes later, I heard Bella gasp.

"What happened?"

"Look!" She pointed in front of us and I followed her gaze to a little girl, who looked about six or seven years old, dressed in a pink jacket, twirling around on the ice in the skating rink. She was looked absolutely adorable as she gracefully maneuvered her way around the rink, waving as she passed by a small group of people who'd stopped by to watch her.

"She's so cute. And obviously good at this!" Bella said with a smile. "I wish I had the grace to pull it off."

I looked over to the rink, then back to the beautiful girl at my side. The longing was so clearly displayed in her soulful eyes. Holding out a hand, I said, "C'mon."

Startled, she looked sharply, and dare I say suspiciously, at my outstretched palm. "What?" I tilted my head toward the rink and Bella immediately shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no."

"Why not?"

"I took lessons when I was five- Nana wanted me to try- and almost broke my arm once and injured a couple of other kids. Since then, I've accepted that I'm too clumsy for ice-skating. And definitely not in front of all these people!" she added the last part in a whisper, as if afraid of someone overhearing our conversation.

"You just said that you wished you could do it," I pointed out. She opened her mouth to speak but I continued before she could interrupt. "If I remember correctly, I told you that I wanted to give you the world, anything that your heart desires. Please let me do this for you?"

"Edward…" She still looked unsure, but I could tell that her decision was wavering. She looked between my hand and the ice, torn. "Can I really do it, in spite of the surgery?"

"I promise not to let go of your hands for even a second. I won't let you fall, Bella," I told her, the sincerity in my voice was unmistakable. "And since you've not felt any pain after all this walking we've done, I think you should be fine. That said, if you experience an ounce of discomfort of any sort, we'll stop immediately."

She let out a huge breath, her eyes roaming over my face. Slowly, determinedly, she raised her hand and placed it in mine. I squeezed it gently, leading her over to the counter, where we could rent the skates.

Once we'd put them on, I led her to the ice. Her legs wobbled a bit as we slowly trudged forward, but I could see that she remembered the basics, at least. I moved from her side to stand in front of her and cupped her face in my palms.

"I won't let you fall, okay?" I repeated, looking intently into her eyes.

She nodded, her expression one of solemn concentration.

I took her hands in both of mine and ever so slowly, started skating backwards, pulling her with me, never looking away from her face. We stumbled a little the first few steps, but eventually she got the hang of it and we were gliding much more easily than before.

I knew that if I let go, she'd surely fall, it wasn't possible to learn this in a day after all. The reason I gave her earlier was true, but apart from that, there was another answer as to why I practically forced her to skate with me. I wanted to show her that she could trust me. This was a silly little activity, just for a bit of fun, but I believed that it was a start, an opportunity for me to show Bella that if she'd let me, I was here to stay and had no plans of ever letting her go.

A few more minutes of injury-less skating made Bella a little braver and she let go of one of my hands to wave at the girl in pink we'd seen earlier. A squeak left her throat when she stumbled, almost taking us both down. Her hand immediately reached out and clasped mine so tight that I feared for my circulation.

"Um, yeah, I should stick to both hands," she muttered, looking at me, wide-eyed and I bit back a chuckle.

After an hour of that, we were both tired, so we stopped by at the nearby restaurant for a late lunch, our conversation moving over to Bella's studies. The warmth inside felt amazing as we shed our coats. We sat down at the corner booth. I pulled off my beanie and ran a hand through my hair. I faced Bella and found her looking up at my hair with a strange expression.

"What?" I asked, self-consciously, trying to tame the locks. "Is it all flattened? I look like a goof, don't I?"

"Uh, no, no," she said quickly. "It's sticking up in all directions actually."

I sighed. "No matter how hard I try to tame it, my hair never obeys me."

"Looks, um, looks good on you like this," she mumbled, blushing profusely and picked up the menu, seemingly giving it her undivided attention as I smirked and did the same.

After a hearty meal, we walked much slower. We'd been moving around aimlessly so far, taking breaks ever so often. I fretted over Bella, repeatedly asking her if she was doing fine and she always replied in the affirmative, sometimes with an eye-roll and a smile, sometimes with a shaking head. The last time I'd asked, I'd been on the receiving end of a withering glare that should have had me fearing for my safety. But now, despite the intermittent rest, I assumed that after the hours of walking we'd done, Bella might be getting tired, so I pulled out a map and told her to look through it, find out where she wanted to go next.

She decided on the tropic zone of the zoo, so we headed there and spent some time there, forgetting all about the cold weather outside and taking a look at the many different species of lemurs and the hundreds of varieties of birds.

I was happier than I'd ever been seeing the mirth on Bella's face as she looked at all the exhibits. I laughed when she tried to imitate the squeak of the parrot and was secretly satisfied when she cringed back into me, away from the Emerald Tree Boa. The little placard said it was non-venomous, but it was… _creepy_.

When we walked out of the zoo, we came across a counter that offered tours of the lesser known and often missed areas of the park. It sounded interesting, but neither of us was up for another "three hours of vigorous walking" as the guide put it.

"Maybe next time," Bella said casually and the simple little statement planted a shred of cautious optimism in my heart.

We sat around on a bench for a little while talking about all the things we'd seen. As the evening fell upon us, the wind became chillier and we decided to leave. The ride back to Bella's dorm was as comfortable as the one in the morning. We chatted about our day in the park, the food, the music playing in the car. I was glad to see that the dynamic of our relationship had not changed. We could still talk to each other about anything as easily as we could spend time in companionable silence.

When we reached the dorm, I rushed to open her door for her and then insisted on escorting her to the apartment.

The awkwardness, that had fortunately been absent in the car, came creeping upon as we walked up, looking anywhere but at each other. I fidgeted with the car key as I wondered what would be the right way to say good bye to her.

I was still debating it when we reached her door.

 _I couldn't kiss her… Too soon for that since the entire mess started with a kiss. Yeah, a kiss would be too much._

 _A handshake? A wave? No… that was too less. Impersonal._

 _Maybe a hug? Friends hugged, right?_

Before I could reach a conclusion, Bella made the decision for me. I froze as she leaned in and put her hands on my shoulders. Rising up on her toes, she placed a soft kiss on my cheek. It was the slightest of brush of her lips against my skin, but it was enough to send a warm current down my spine. A slow, wide grin spread over my lips as she pulled back, her simple gesture tugging at my heart in ways I couldn't even describe.

"I had a wonderful time today," she said with a smile that could've melted the coldest of hearts. "Thank you, Edward."

"It was my pleasure. So, can I, uh, see you tomorrow?" I asked tentatively.

"I was thinking of doing a bit of studying tomorrow," she answered and my face fell. "But," she continued, "Maybe you could come over in the evening?"

"I was thinking about the evening, too. I have work until five, so maybe I'll see you around six-thirty?"

"Perfect."

With her agreement, I said goodbye, waited until she was inside and then headed home.

I'd just walked in and was hanging up my coat when my phone rang. I answered without looking at the display.

"Merry Christmas, dude!" I pulled the phone away from my ears as the booming voice of my dear friend threatened to shatter my ear drum.

"Merry Christmas, Emmett. How are things in LA? You and Rose reach there alright?"

"Yeah, we got here yesterday," he said. "The entire McCarty clan is here and the party is in full swing, right boys?" I cringed at the _"Hell, yeah!"_ yelled by his brothers in unison and the clanging that followed.

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'm glad."

He laughed. "How are you doing? I called to get the latest scoop on your love life."

I snorted.

"Ooh, something's happened!" he sang. "What's going on between you and Bellie?"

"Bellie?"

"Bella. Don't act dense, dude."

"I'm not. I just didn't realize you two had gotten so close as to have nicknames since you've never even met her," I pointed out.

"I haven't," he admitted, sounding regretful about it. "With the damned conference, I didn't get the chance to come see her in the hospital and had to come out here for the holidays. And since when do I need to meet someone in order to nickname them?"

I shook my head, saying nothing.

"Now, stop distracting me! Oh my God! Do not tell me that you've chickened out and done nothing to make that girl fall in love with you! I swear, I'll come and kick your ass."

"Hold your horses," I said. "I think falling in love with me is a long while away, but I _did_ talk to her last night, told her everything from my perspective."

"And?" Emmett's tone dripped with impatience and I laughed, picturing his huge, six and a half feet tall form bouncing on his toes like an excited kid.

"And she's agreed to give me a second chance. In fact, we had our first date today," I informed him proudly.

"Fuck yeah! That's awesome, Cullen!"

I told him about the Christmas gift I'd given Bella and he laughed. "Nothing says _I love you_ better than a Littman."

"What the hell are you two gossiping about like two teenage girls while I'm stuck in between the starving hooligans that are my husband's brother?" I jumped when Rose's voice snapped at me through the line.

"Baby, give me my phone." I could hear Emmett complaining in the background, but she shushed him.

"Edward? I'm waiting," she barked.

"Merry Christmas, Rose," I said sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas. What's going on?"

"He's got a girl, Rosie!" Emmett chimed in.

"A girl, huh?"

"She's not my girl, yet. But, hopefully, she will be," I told her.

"Really? I'm happy for you, Edward," Rosalie told me, her tone much softer now. "Where did you meet?"

"Uh, it's a really long story, Rose. Why don't you ask Emmett? He knows everything."

"He knows and hasn't said anything to me? What the hell?"

"We just went on her first date today," I pacified her. "Em didn't know that until a few minutes ago."

"Hmm, alright. I want to meet her soon, though. I've got to make sure she knows exactly what I'll do to her if she ever hurt you like that bitch Irina," she said, her tone serious and menacing.

I sighed. "Wait until you hear the whole story, Rose. I'm the one who has hurt her. She's not like that. She's kind and… just, beautiful. Inside and out. Bella is nothing like Irina."

"Well, I'm glad and relieved to hear that. You deserve happiness and the way you sound right now… I haven't seen that side of you in ages. If this Bella is the reason behind it, then I'll be the biggest supporter of this relationship."

"Thank you, Rose. It means a lot to me." I heard the beeping of another incoming call. "Someone else is calling me, I've got to go."

Em and Rose said goodbye. I switched over to the other line, where my parents were calling me. I sat down on the couch and wished them both a Merry Christmas, chatting for a little while.

As much as I hated it, I had to lie when Mom asked me how my patient was doing, the one who I said I wanted to monitor even during the holidays.

It'd been just one day, one date, but, the way Bella and I had easily slipped into our previously shared camaraderie, the innocent little touches that she'd granted me, the excitement and happiness dancing her eyes as we created new memories together, they all made me more hopeful than ever that someday, someday I'd have the honor of calling her mine and when I fell asleep that night, I dreamed of the day I could introduce her to my family as such.

* * *

 **A/N: As always, Melissa beta'd this and Dazzled Eyes22 pre-read it (Actually, this woman just reads my mind and brings out stuff even I didn't realize was there lol!)**

 **I post (pic) teasers for chapters on Facebook whenever I get the chance, so if you're interested, come find me as Kayla Cullen.**  
 **To all my dear silent lurkers... I see you :P and I'd love to hear what you're thinking.**

 **Until next time :)**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Twilight saga = Not mine. :(  
**

 **A/N: Hi, I hope you all had a good week! As I said last week, Tarbecca was kind enough to rec this story on ADF, so I am allowed to post teasers on the site in Sneak Peek Monday! If you have an account, check it out :) I did one last time for this chapter too... I don't know if you guys got a chance to see it.**

 **I'll still be putting teasers on FB (Kayla Cullen) if you prefer that.**

 **Danielle and Melissa... Couldn't do this without you! xoxo**

 **The next couple of chapters are definitely going to be over 3000 words. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9**

The nurses kept staring at me. They all wore different expressions, ranging from confusion to suspicion to downright amusement, but the one common factor was that whenever I was in the vicinity of a nurse, I could practically feel their gaze boring at the back of my head.

I guess they had a valid reason for their curiosity. When a guy you've known to be morose, quiet, and reticent for years suddenly starts smiling while doing the most mundane of activities, like charting, and wishing you a " _good day"_ every time he saw you in the corridors, you're probably allowed to be wary.

This had been going on for the past six days, which was the exact amount of time that'd passed since my first date with Bella.

I did my best to give my utmost attention to my work, and it worked when I was operating, but the rest of the time, little snippets of the past six days kept slipping into my mind and they were the most beautiful form of distraction.

The day after our visit to Central Park, I'd visited Bella at her dorm. She had indeed spent the day studying, as she'd told me. I was surprised at her exhausted appearance as she opened the door for me.

Her hair was slung up in a loose knot with several stray locks framing her face, which in itself was the picture of frustration.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"Newton," she spat as I walked inside.

"Um, what?"

"Isaac Newton, Einstein, Maxwell… they are my problem! I mean, yeah, the men were freaking geniuses, deriving all these laws and proving them. Why in the world do I have to use the application of those laws, huh? Is my patient going to come and ask me about the conditions of electromagnetism? No! Why would they care whether or not I knew all of this as long as I could treat whatever was wrong with them?"

She was pacing along the length of the room as she ranted, gesturing wildly with her arms. I gently took hold of one before she managed to give me a shiner.

"Take a deep breath." I turned her to face me, holding her gaze until she complied, nodding in encouragement as the anger slowly drained out of her. I led her to the couch and we sat.

"Now, tell me. What's the matter?"

"I'm just-" She grimaced. "I'm not used to being bad at something in academics, but, mechanical and electrical physics have always been weak points for me. Still, I could manage well until high school, but this college-level syllabus has been kicking my ass."

"Well, they have this all inclusive syllabus because not everyone who gets into pre-med is sure of their future path like you." I tapped the tip of her nose and laughed when she wrinkled it adorably. "Do you mind if I take a look at it? It's been a while for me, but I could give it a shot. Maybe I can help?" I suggested and was relieved when she graced me with a grateful smile.

"You'd do that? I could really use some help."

"I'll be happy to," I affirmed. "But not for the next two hours, at least."

Her eyebrows furrowed with a little 'v' forming between them, as she looked at me in confusion. I resisted the urge to press my lips against it to see it if was indeed as soft as it looked.

"You need a break," I clarified. "So, let's have dinner first, after that we'll get to Mr. Newton and Mr. Einstein with a fresh mind."

Her gloomy expression brightened. "I got the fixings for spicy chicken stir fry from the market today."

I grinned. "Sounds delicious. Put me to work."

She delegated the chopping of veggies to me, while she spiced and diced the chicken. She was giggling away as I slowly and carefully made my way through the pile I was assigned.

I exaggerated my incompetence, delighting as she recovered her good humor while holding my hand and guiding me about what sized pieces she wanted.

I watched proudly as the fruits, or rather vegetables, of my labor sizzled in the wok and an enticing aroma filled the apartment. Bella gave me an appreciative smile and wink as we sat down to eat.

Needless to say, the next time we picked up the books, I was pretty sure Mr. Newton and Mr. Einstein were relieved to have been saved from the wrath of Isabella Swan.

The next day, we spent in downtown New York City, walking down the avenues with the most gorgeous festive displays and visiting the Rockefeller Center to look at the iconic Christmas tree. Wrapped up warm and tight in her thick coat, scarf, gloves and beanie, Bella's eyes sparkled with delight and her pink cheeks glowed as she browsed the decorations. I'll never forget the way her hand reached out and grasped mine as she pointed out at one of the shop windows.

Judging by the look of surprise and awe on her face, I'm sure the display was very beautiful, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was about. My thoughts focused solely on the little hand encased in my larger one.

The fabric of her glove prevented me from feeling her skin against my own and yet, my heart thrummed happily at just sight of our fingers woven together. At that moment, I thought that life couldn't possibly get any better than that.

I was wrong.

It did get infinitely better when she didn't let go and we walked hand-in-hand for the rest of the evening.

The fourth day was spent mainly in the hospital since I was scheduled for a couple of craniotomies and Bella had to come in too for her final check-up.

She was already in the exam room with Jasper when I rushed there straight after my surgery.

"Hey," she greeted me with a smile as I walked to the bed and pressed my lips to her forehead.

Jasper looked at our exchange with a smirk, opening his mouth to speak, but I silenced him with a look.

Lately, I'd been rushing back home, or to Bella's place, the minute I was done with my work in the hospital, so I hadn't had a chance to fill him in on what the specifics of what had happened so far between Bella and me. The last time I'd talked to him was when she'd agreed to give this, us, a chance. I didn't know if Bella was comfortable with people knowing about us just yet, and Jasper wasn't the most tactful person. The last thing I needed was a thoughtless remark from him hurting her, even if it would be unintentional.

He took the hint and stuck to making small talk with Bella about Charlie and Alice, while he palpated her abdomen for any spots of tenderness.

Ten minutes later, Bella was given a clean bill of health. We celebrated it by having the thickest, most delicious hot chocolate in the city at Jacques Torres' Chocolates. Bella grabbed a promising-looking cookie mix too and I was waiting eagerly for the treat.

One thing that stuck in my mind was that as soon as her back was turned, Jasper mouthed to me _"Details later."_

I swear my friends were turning more and more into teenage girls since I'd found my girl.

 _Your girl? Is she really your girl?_

I sighed. I'd been terrified of bringing up _that_ conversation with Bella. She'd promised to give this a try, but we'd not talked any more about the official status of our relationship.

I realized that the two of us were at completely different points in our lives. While I was committed to her in every way, even if she didn't know the extent of my feelings just yet, she was still starting out in her life and I was willing to wait for her for as long as she wanted. In spite of all that, even the thought of her rejection was enough to make me extremely nervous about bringing up the topic with her.

I'd asked her to spend this entire week with me and today was the last day of it, as well as the last day of the year.

Several times this week, I'd turned toward Bella to find her already looking at me with a thoughtful expression. She'd snap out of the stupor with a smile, but I never missed the whirlwind of emotions depicted in her eyes.

 _Maybe she'll tell me about her decision tonight._

I could only hope.

Since this was her first New Year celebration in NYC, we had decided to go to Times Square to see the ball drop.

Knocking at Bella's door had become one of my favorite activities in the past week. Well, other than holding her hand, seeing her smile, hugging her…

 _I did say_ one _of my favorite activities._

Anyway, the anticipation before she opened the door, the excitement of seeing her beautiful face as she would take a peek first and then the breathtaking smile that would light up her face as she would see me and invite me in… I'd come to enjoy it all so much that I wasn't sure how I'd cope if I had to give it up.

She was wearing a bright blue blouse today, the cut of the neck accentuating her delectable collarbones and I felt the strongest desire skim my nose along their lengths and nibble on them.

 _Where the hell did that come from?_

I shook off that thought as quickly as I could.

Physically, Bella and I hadn't gone further past chaste kisses on the cheek or forehead. The closest we'd been so far was last night when she hugged me when we came back from our date. Her slender arms had wrapped around my waist, her strawberry scent enveloping me as I hugged her back.

It was my own personal heaven and hell.

My lips ached to kiss hers; my arms itched to pull her so close that I could feel her heart beating in tandem with mine. Until she gave me some sort of an indication, I was reluctant to make a move, lest I pushed her for more than she was willing to give me.

"Ready to go?" The object of my affection pulled me out of my musing.

I smiled. "Yeah."

We'd reached about halfway to our destination when my phone rang. I recognized by the ringtone that it was a call from the hospital. Connecting it via Bluetooth to the music player, I answered.

"Dr. Cullen? It's Katie Marshall. She has just been brought in with a stroke. Dr. Howard is working on stabilizing her, but you need to come in right now, Sir," the nurse informed me.

My heart skipped a beat and I could _feel_ the blood draining from my face. Without another thought, I immediately signaled and turned sharply at the first break in the road, revving the engine and driving toward the hospital as fast as I could.

I disconnected the call after informing them that I was on my way.

"Damn it, Katie!" I muttered, frustrated. I mentally reviewed her history while weaving through the lanes of traffic like a man possessed. My sole thought was about getting to the hospital in time.

"Edward?" The softest of voices reached me through the haze of frustration and anxiety that plagued my mind, the only voice that could have pierced it so effortlessly.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Bella. I need to get to the hospital immediately." I honked and mentally cursed at the driver ahead of me as he refused to get out of my way.

"Yeah, I gathered that. What's going on?" There was nothing but concern in her voice.

I emptied my lungs in a gush, composing my nerves to the best of my ability. "Katie Marshall is the eight year old daughter of Jenny and Steve Marshall. Jenny's family has a genetic mutation that makes them more susceptible to brain aneurysms that the average, normal person. They've been my patients ever since I completed my residency. There are hardly any prophylactic measures we can take to prevent the aneurysms from happening, but we did our best. I operated on Jenny two years ago, when she had a berry aneurysm that ruptured." Shaking my head, I continued. "And now, Katie has been brought in with the same presenting symptoms as Jenny had then."

"Oh God!" Bella's hand flew to her lips as she looked at me in shock. "A little girl with a..." She trailed off in despair.

"Yeah. It is rare, but it can happen. Especially if there's a familial predisposition."

She rested her hand on mine as it lay on the steering wheel. "You'll save her, Edward. I know you will." The conviction in her voice was just what I needed to clear my head of the anger at the unfairness of life. The warm prickle that always seemed to travel up my arm when Bella touched me calmed me immensely.

I gave her a grateful smile as I pulled into the hospital parking lot.

I ran into through the emergency wing, my eyes immediately landing on Dr. Howard, resuscitating the patient who I assumed was Katie.

"Oh, thank God you're here," Jenny said to me as soon as I reached to their side.

Howard nodded at me, narrating the vitals. He'd gotten her stable enough to move, so they started pushing the gurney toward the elevator, while I turned to the terrified parents beside me.

"Jenny…" I was at a loss for words as I watched her sob helplessly while Steve held on to her.

"We know. You have to do the surgery," he told me, taking in a shaky breath. "We've signed the consent forms already. Just, please, please save our baby."

"I will try my best," I promised them and turned to Bella, who'd been standing inconspicuously at one side, her expression desolate as she watched Steve and Jenny. "I'm sorry, Bella. I have-"

"Don't worry about me," she immediately assured me. "I'll hang around here. You do what you have to do. I'll be here," she said again. She took my hand, squeezing it gently and giving me a small smile before letting go.

As quickly as I could, I changed into my scrubs and rushed to the OR. When I made my way inside, the nurse had finished prepping and draping Katie as I took my place at her head.

Before beginning, I sent out a prayer for the sweet, innocent girl whose life hung in the balance. I held out a hand to the nurse beside me.

"Scalpel."

* * *

I took in a deep breath, turning my head sideways to unlock the knots in my neck. I'd been so thoroughly focused on the surgery that I'd forgotten to change my position and the muscles were complaining now, having been stretched for… how long had it been? Two hours? Three?

A look at the vitals monitor told me that Katie's BP and pulse had stabilized. I checked the anastomosis once again, it was holding.

I felt that peculiar sensation of being watched, so my eyes instinctively flew up to the gallery and what I saw was something I would never forget. Bella was sitting there, wearing scrubs and smiling down at me. From what I could see, it was awe that shone in her eyes, and a hint of pride, maybe.

 _How did she get in there?_

An incessant beeping brought me back to the situation at hand.

"What the hell happened?"

"BP's falling."

I checked the artery once more. There was nothing wrong. It was somewhere else.

" _Damn it_ ," I muttered. "Where is the bleed?"

It took a couple of more minutes, but I managed to find the culprit. The walls of the vessel were so friable that I wondered if the stitches would be able to hold them together.

"Clamp. _Clamp now!_ Don't give up on me now, Katie. Hang in there for just a moment," I whispered, ligating the best I could and hoping that sutures held.

The entire OR breathed a collective sigh of relief when the bleeding stopped.

"Pressure's coming back up," Howard informed me. "Good save, Dr. Cullen."

I looked up at Bella and saw her wiping away the tears on her cheeks.

"Let's close up."

* * *

I walked out of the OR, pulling off my scrub cap. Jenny and Steve rushed to me as soon as I'd reached the waiting room.

"She's going to be just fine," I told them with a smile, watching as they both sagged with relief.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Jenny whispered, coming forward to hug me.

"You can see her in a little while. A nurse will take you to see her and I'll come back in an hour or so for a check-up."

"Thank you." Steve held out a hand and I shook it, clapping him on the shoulder.

Once that was done, I walked to where Bella was leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" She sounded baffled.

I sighed. "This is not exactly how we'd planned to spend New Year's Eve. All our plans-"

"Are you kidding me?" she interjected. "I just watched you save someone's life. A little girl who was…" She shook her head. "Seeing you like that… so focused, determined, and calm even in a crisis… You truly have a gift, Edward. You saved Katie's life. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year."

"You wanted to see the ball drop," I protested weakly.

"On second thought, I don't think I'm a fan of crowds." She shrugged flippantly and I cracked a smile.

"How the hell did you manage to get into the gallery?"

"Dr. Whitlock… Jasper found me in the hall, asked me about what was going on and when I told him, he got me these scrubs, and sneaked me in." She giggled. "He said he knows all about my _love for medicine_ as he put it. Did you tell him?"

"Uh, yeah." I cleared my throat. "I mean, I told Emmett and he relayed it to Jasper."

She hummed. "He also asked me about our relationship."

 _Damn him._ I groaned. "I'm sorry if he made you uncomfortable, Bella. I'll kill him for-"

"Oh, there's no need for that. I answered his questions."

All the breath left my body in a whoosh. "You did?"

"Uh huh. I wanted to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

My voice cracked and if I hadn't been nervous to my bones, I probably would have been embarrassed.

"I called Jacob yesterday," she said. Her voice light and casual, but my heart plummeted as I heard the words.

 _Called Jacob? For what?_

 _To arrange another date?_

 _She's given up on me… on us?_

 _Why? What did I do? What didn't I do?_

"Oh, get that look off your face, Edward! How you can be so brilliant and yet so silly sometimes is a mystery to me."

I finally found my voice. "You're making absolutely no sense to me. Just… Just tell me what you're trying to do here," I pleaded.

"I am trying to tell you that I called Jacob yesterday. I called him because I had to tell him that I couldn't date him because I am in a relationship with someone else."

 _Jacob… Relationship… Someone…_

I heard the words but they wove together, along with the ever-present fear of losing her, into such an entangled mess in my mind that I could not make out the essence of what she was trying to tell me.

Bella sighed, stepping closer and framing my face in her hands. "Edward, I want this. Us. You and me."

The hallway, the patients, the nurses… everything around us disappeared and all that was left was Bella… looking into my eyes and telling me…

 _She wants this._

"You- you do?" I whispered, not wanting to break the spell of the moment.

She nodded. "I do. And you know what?"

I blinked. _What else?_

"It's midnight, Edward. Happy New Year," she whispered.

I stood there, still shell-shocked, as her soft lips pressed against mine.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh, Edward... Clueless much? *giggles***

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	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER** **:You know the drill. Twilight is not mine, but this story certainly is.**

 **A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for all your reviews last chapter that made the total count go past 200. It's a milestone for me and I'm so happy that you guys liked it! The consensus was- Edward, snap out of the daze already and kiss the girl!**

 **Duly noted ;)**

 **I'll just thank Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa quickly and let you get on with the reading.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 10**

Bella's lips were soft yet insistent and mine followed her lead of their own accord.

Slowly, her words percolated through my head. My neurons finally came out of whatever sort of hibernation they'd been in and the jumbled mush turned into sentences that I could decipher.

The realization that she wanted a relationship with me hit me like a tidal wave and left in its wake the kind of happiness that I hadn't felt in a really long time.

I wrapped my arms tight around her waist, lifting her above the ground and deepened the kiss. A moan slipped past her lips as I suckled her plump lower lip into my mouth, nipping it gently and soothing the bite with my tongue. Her hands came up to tangle in my hair, and I hissed into her mouth as they scratched my scalp.

My hands roamed over the expanse of her back, just the thin fabric of the scrubs keeping me away from the warmth of her skin.

It was the sound of a throat clearing that brought me back to my senses, and it seemed Bella too. We froze at the interruption with our lips still molded together, even though they'd stopped moving. It would have been an awkward sight to look at. That was for sure.

I don't know which one of us thawed first, but we both leaned away hastily. Still dazed from the kiss, I stepped back, but the wall crept up on me. I winced as my head banged sharply against it.

"Shit! Are you okay?" Bella reached up and rubbed at the sore spot.

"I'll live." She stopped the rubbing, so I said, "That feels really good, though."

She smiled and continued to do it for another minute, while I looked around the corridor. It appeared that we'd indulged in some pretty inappropriate PDA smack in the middle of a hospital.

 _Ah, I couldn't bring myself to regret it, though. It was totally worth it._

The thought brought a grin to my face.

Bella saw it and raised her eyebrows. "Feeling better, Dr. Cullen? Or do I need to get a neurosurgeon to give you an exam? Maybe you have a concussion that's making you smile like a loon."

I laughed, pulling her hand from my head and kissing the back of it. "It's not a concussion. It's you."

"I am making you crazy?"

"You are. You do, all the time," I replied honestly.

"I'd say the feeling is mutual, Doctor," she said and I couldn't help but kiss her once more.

After changing into our regular clothes, we made our way out of the hospital. Before leaving, though, I made a quick detour to check on Katie.

She'd been placed into the ICU for the time being, under strict observation for the next twenty four hours and barring any complications, she would be shifted to a regular room soon. I relayed all this information to Jenny and Steve as they sat by their daughter's bedside, holding her little hands in theirs.

"Why? Why did this happen to her?" Jenny questioned me, her tone full of despair.

I sighed, reaching out to squeeze her arm. "We've talked about this, Jenny. There is no good reason, but her genetic makeup makes-"

"Makes her more vulnerable, I know that," she snapped. Steve walked over to her side, draping a comforting arm over her shoulders. She calmed slightly, leaning against his side. "She's my daughter, Edward. I can't… She's _eight_ years old! She's supposed to be playing, eating chocolate chip cookies and drawing pictures. She's not supposed to be lying in a hospital bed, battling for her life."

"Excuse me. Um, I'm sorry to interrupt," Bella said. She'd accompanied me to the room, waiting at the door, but apparently she'd walked in during our conversation. Now, she stood at Katie's bedside, looking a little nervous. "She's waking up."

Steve, Jenny and I turned quickly, but when Katie's eyes opened, they first landed on Bella.

"Hey there," Bella said, her voice soft and a warm smile on her face.

"Hi," Katie whispered, her solemn gaze focused solely on Bella. "You're pretty."

Bella blushed, making me smile. She turned to me, seemingly for help and I shrugged. She didn't need to say anything in response, because Katie's eyes fell to her parents. They doused her in hugs and kisses as she giggled and tried to squirm away.

I walked over to Bella's side, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"What?" I whispered. "Katie's a smart girl and I happen to agree with her, so…" I shrugged.

"Shut up," she hissed, though the corners of her mouth quirked up.

"Hi, Katie! You gave us quite a scare today," I said, walking up to her. "May I please give you an exam, princess? I'll make it quick, I promise."

"Okay, but you have to tell me who that is," she pointed at Bella.

"Oh, is that the deal?" I bit back a chuckle as she nodded, considering her negotiation quite seriously.

I introduced Bella to her, and she waved bashfully.

"Bella? Like Princess Belle?" she gasped, looking over to her parents for confirmation. "You're Princess Belle?"

They made the non-committal responses that only parents seemed to pull off perfectly.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Katie asked me, all wide, wondrous eyes and innocence.

I looked over to Bella. The flushed state of her cheeks and her shy, but genuine, smile gave me the answer I desired.

"Yes, she is my girlfriend."

* * *

Half an hour later, we sat in my car, deciding on our next course of action.

"I could go for some food. I'm starving," I groaned, rubbing my belly.

Bella laughed.

"What? Aren't you hungry? We were supposed to have last year. Literally," I said, and she snorted.

"Yeah, _literally_ ," she mimicked me. "Proud of yourself for that little comment, aren't you?"

"Yep. Now, tell me, where are we headed? There's this little bistro down the block. I haven't tried it but it looks promising," I suggested.

She sighed. "I'm not really in the mood to go out."

"Oh," I mumbled, disappointed. "I'm sorry, Bella, I just didn't want our time together to end yet. I'm sure you must be tired. I'll-"

"Who said anything about ending our time? I just meant that we should go home."

Now, that, that brought the smile right back on to my face. "Should we go to my place? I mean, we've spent all our time so far at the dorm; you've yet to see my apartment."

She was silent for a beat.

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

It was a moment before I realized the way it sounded. "Oh, um, I don't mean… I didn't…" I floundered. "We don't have to… We're not going to… Just, uh, just talking," I mumbled, until she interrupted me with a giggle.

"Relax, Edward. I know what you meant."

"Really? You're sure, right? Because I would never..." I trailed off.

"Push me?" Bella smiled. "I know you wouldn't. I trust you. Now, whether or not I can trust you to have some food there, that is another matter entirely."

We both snickered and the sudden tension left my body as the moment lightened.

"Uh… Let me think. It _has_ been a while since I went shopping, but…" I paused.

"But?"

"We do have some mac and cheese. And, of course, Ginger Ale."

She grinned. "Sounds perfect."

* * *

"Mmm, this is delicious," Bella groaned, taking up another spoonful.

"Thank you, Miss Swan." I picked up my own bowl and sat beside her on the couch.

I turned on the TV, switching the channels until I found reruns of _Friends_ coming on and we settled in with that. It was a New Year special, so they were airing just the holiday season episodes from the different seasons. We laughed and talked about our favorite characters as we dug into our food.

Soon, Bella was leaning back on the couch, patting her "too full" belly and groaning about overeating when her cell rang.

"Who is calling me at two in the morning?" she muttered with a frown. "Of course." She rolled her eyes when she saw the display and answered with a smile.

"Happy New Year, Bella!" Even I heard Alice's trilling voice as Bella pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing at the sharp sound.

"Happy New Year, Ali," she replied, her tone much more suited for human hearing. "How are you?"

I picked up our bowls and put them in the sink while Bella conversed with Alice. When I came back, I hesitated for a second, wondering if she wanted to talk in private. When she saw me, Bella waved me over with a smile, so I returned to my place beside her.

"Did you forget about the time difference? What if I'd been asleep? ... No, I wasn't, but… I'm, uh, I'm not at home. Do you hear a party going on around me, Sherlock?" She shook her head at me, eyes widened comically. "I did not hesitate!"

"Fine! I'm at Edward's! You happy now?" She pouted and I shrugged.

"Yes… NO!... Okay, that's enough, Ali. Have a great night. I'm hanging up... Tell me what?... Later?... Okay, fine. Yes, I'll remember it. Okay, bye."

"Sometimes, I envy her energy, but other times… she can be so exhausting!" She sighed dramatically and I laughed. Easy as breathing, I reached out and pulled her into my side. She snuggled closer, resting her head on my chest.

 _This… this was all I'd ever wanted._

"You met her in college, right? The two of you seem to have gotten really close in just a few months."

"Yeah." Bella smiled fondly. "Alice has always had that kind of a personality, you know? She can connect with anyone, and make them feel comfortable. I consider myself lucky to have found her, especially as a roommate."

"I'm glad you did. You've come so far away from home, to a city you've never been to before. It's nice to have at least one close friend you can trust completely to have your back."

Her body tensed for just a second, and I wondered why. Before I could ask, she spoke, "I chose to come to Columbia."

"Yes, of course," I said quickly, hoping that I hadn't unknowingly offended her. The tone of her voice puzzled me. "The opportunity to study in an Ivy League school-"

"No, that's not what I-" She paused, pulling away slightly to meet my eyes. "I'd been accepted into University of Pennsylvania too. I could have gone there. I'd lived there for years; I was familiar with the city, but, I- I chose to come to Columbia, to New York."

She looked at me intently, willing me to comprehend whatever hidden meaning she wanted to convey, but I was drawing a blank. Sighing, she took my hand in hers with a small smile on her face.

"I came here… I came here to be closer to you, Edward."

Her words reverberated through my mind, and then hit me straight in the center of my chest. For the second time in the day, Bella Swan had managed to stun me to the point where I could only gape at her, like an idiot.

Gently, she pushed my jaw back up from where it had dropped. "I don't even… I didn't plan for one second to come and see you. I just hoped… maybe that'd we'd run into each other someday? I never imagined that you felt anything more for me. I believed that you saw me as nothing more than the high school student you were stuck with for a month."

That comment made me find my voice back. I frowned. "Bella, I've never, ever thought of you like that. Even though I didn't want to admit my feelings for you back then, I've always respected you… as a person, as a friend."

"I know that now," she assured me. "But at the time, I didn't know what I do now. I let my insecurities get the better off me. I didn't realize until yesterday that I'd been projecting the way I see myself onto you."

"What does that mean?"

She grimaced. "You thought you'd be holding me back if we got into a relationship back then. Well, I thought, in the same way, that there was no way that you could possibly want me." I wanted to interrupt, but she stopped me with a hand on my lips. "Yes, yes. I know now that's not true."

While everything she said made sense, I wondered why it sounded a bit like she was trying to take responsibility for what happened, when she could not have been further from the truth. Obviously, she had been thinking about this for a while, so, I did not want to interrupt her train of thought. She was pouring her heart out to me, and in no way was I daring to cut off what she had to say.

"Anyway," she sighed. "I've thought a lot about us ever since you walked back into my life. All this time we've spent together, you were right. I needed that. I needed to just… be with you, no pressure, no expectations, and no demons hanging over our head. Just you and me, talking, laughing, studying, cooking, teasing... just _being._ I was seeing the real you, Edward," she whispered, placing a hand against my cheek. "I didn't see much of the real Edward Cullen back in Forks, except the last week of that summer. In the beginning, you were… reserved. I felt like you'd made this, sort of cage around yourself, intent to keep everyone out, not telling anyone about the conglomerate of emotions raging inside of you.

"In the meadow, for the first time, you opened up to me. I saw your pain, your kindness, and your strength. When we kissed that day, it was the first time I realized that you were way more than just a friend to me. With the way you kissed me, I was so sure that you felt the same for me, so when you just left… it broke me."

We'd talked about this earlier, but I still felt as though the breath had been knocked out of me by a swift kick in the ribs. "I'm so sor—"

"No, Edward, stop," she requested. "You've apologized over and over, and I have forgiven you. I'm just trying to be honest with you. I don't want to start our relationship on a shaky foundation."

She paused, so I nodded my understanding, encouraging her to continue.

"The more that I got to know you, the more I wanted to be with you. My point is that you have changed, and so have I. I could have fought for what I wanted; I could have stopped you. I could have picked up the phone and called you, but I didn't. Like I said, I let my insecurity cloud my judgment and I gave up. Consciously or not, I made my own decision, too and I was wrong to blame it entirely on you."

"Bella, don't say that," I asserted. "You could not have altered my decision. Whatever I did, it was all my fault."

"Oh, I know it was." She grinned, confusing the hell out of me. "You were wrong in leaving me like that. I am not taking the entire blame for what happened. I am just saying that you were not responsible for my inaction. I was naïve in thinking that if you'd just stayed with me, everything else would have fallen into place. Who knows, if our relationship had come out then, people would have judged and judged to their hearts' content, and maybe we wouldn't have it made it under all that pressure. I have realized and accepted that it just wasn't our time. Now, here, this is our time, and I want to move forward."

She squeezed my hand. "I am going to let go of the past, and focus on the present. I want you to do the same. I've seen the way you look at me now… always concerned, and scared of making even a single mistake that would drive me away. We _will_ make mistakes, Edward, both of us, but I'm not going to let what happened in the past ruin what could be something wonderful in the future. Stop worrying so much. It's the beginning of a New Year, the beginning of our relationship. We get to start over and this time, no one is running away."

"Wow!" I shook my head, thoroughly amazed by this utterly beautiful girl, and so, so grateful to have her in my life. "When did you get so wise?"

"Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age," she pronounced haughtily, then scrunched up her nose. "Does that sound right? Maybe I should have said wisdom may come at an early age because the first one was for someone who's old, but not necess-"

I cut her off with a kiss. Now that I had her permission, it seemed like I simply couldn't resist. Her lips pulled up into a smile against mine, as she wrapped her arms around me, bringing me closer.

When we pulled apart, I blurted the first thing that came to my dazed mind. "So all this time that I was pining for you, you were missing me too, huh? I wasn't the only one?"

"I just bared my soul before you, Edward Cullen. Don't make me regret it. Wipe that smug look off your face!" She tried to look stern, but the effect was marred by a huge yawn that broke out on her lips and I couldn't help but snigger.

"All right, sleepy girl." I looked down at my watch. "Damn, it's past three. We need to sleep."

"Hmm, yeah," Bella groaned, stretching her arms.

It was at that moment that the fucking question of the sleeping arrangement resonated loud and clear in my head. In hindsight, it should have been the most obvious thing to come to mind when I first suggested that we come back to my place, but I guess I'd been delirious after having officially labelled our relationship and this little situation escaped my thoughts.

 _Was it too soon to share a bed? Even if we just slept?_

 _It'd been so long since I'd dated someone… What did I know about the protocols in relationships nowadays?_

 _I was glad I didn't voice those thoughts… they made me sound like I was eighty._

I repressed a shudder.

"So, um," I started. "There are three bedrooms here. You can, uh, sleep wherever you prefer."

Bella looked at me, blinking in surprise.

 _Why? Did she think I'd automatically assume that we'd sleep in the same bed?_

Before I could get in another word, she said, "Okay. You can show me, uh, any guest room is fine.

I loathed the awkwardness that had made its way into what had otherwise been a perfect evening. My mind had gone blank, so with nothing else to say, I led her to the bathroom in silence and handed her a pair of my sweatpants and a cotton t-shirt to put on.

I cleaned up in the kitchen, and then headed to my bedroom, just as Bella walked out of the bathroom, right across the hall. The t-shirt hung past the middle of her thighs and the pants were rolled up several times, as it seemed from the little bulging line over her belly.

"Don't you dare laugh," she warned me.

I held up my hands defensively. "I was just going to say, that you look adorable, that's all."

She bit back a smile and turned around. I showed her to her room, awkwardly bidding her a good night and walked over to mine.

I brushed my teeth and changed, practically falling onto the bed on my back. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, but the thoughts of Bella in my house, so close and yet separated from me by the damned walls, didn't let my mind shut off.

A look at the alarm clock told me that I'd been tossing and turning for almost half an hour. I pushed off the covers and sat up.

 _Maybe if I'd just peek in there once… Just see that she's asleep…_

 _Would that make me a Peeping Tom?_

 _Would it help or make matters even worse?_

I pursed my lips, indecisive.

My eyes quickly shifted to the door, squinting when a sliver of light from the hallway made its way into the room.

"Bella?" I said quietly, looking at her dark form peeking in through the door. She walked in, her hair a wild mess and her hands clutching a pillow.

"I couldn't sleep," she confessed. "This is silly," she whispered, waving a hand in the direction of the two rooms.

Relieved, I smiled, and silently pulled back the covers. She didn't waste a minute, climbing in as I lay back down on the bed.

"I did it again, didn't I? Assumed that you wouldn't want to, um…"

"Sleep in a bed with you?" she finished my sentence. "We're adults. We can _just sleep_ together without anything else happening here."

"I'm sorry I assumed," I murmured.

"Me too. I could have said something earlier."

"Well, we're learning. We'll get better," I assured her.

"Hmm, learning together sounds good." She leaned in, kissing me softly, before turning to her side and snuggling back into my chest.

"Sounds perfect," I whispered, wrapping her in my arms. I closed my eyes, relishing in the scent of her skin and the comfort of holding her close to my form, as I gladly welcomed a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm really looking forward to your feedback on this one. I think it can go either way... Bring it on! I'm eager to chat with you all.**

 **Hope you have a lovely day :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER** **-** **Stephenie Meyer created The Twilight Saga and its characters, and graciously allowed us crazies to play with them.**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa... Thanks, ladies :)**

 **Your reviews for the last chapter made me smile. The thought that you found my Edward and Bella cute warms my heart. This is the first time that at least 450 people are reading my story, so, posting a new chapter is always daunting. Your kind words make it equally exciting. I really appreciate your support.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 11**

"I don't know, Em."

"Oh, c'mon. Please?" he pouted, or attempted to. There was a jutting lower lip, but the eyes were wrong, and all in all, the effect was… quite funny.

"Emmett, I'm not saying no. I'm just saying that I can't give you a definitive answer right this moment because I have to talk to Bella about it first." I grabbed the chart I needed and filled in the results of the patient's latest lab reports.

"Ooh, look at that! My little boy is all grown up," he sniffed, wiping away a non-existent tear. "Just ten days into a relationship and he's already got the hang of how to do it just right."

I shoved him without looking up from my work, but he managed to dodge my elbow. Once I'd finished, I met his far too amused eyes. "You do realize that I've been married once before, right?"

"Uh, I don't need to tell you how that turned out. It was a doomed relationship anyway," he scoffed. "What you have this time, it's much more important. This one is forevahhh," he sang.

I sighed. "I don't- I don't want to think about that."

Emmett's playful demeanor disappeared immediately. "What the hell are you saying? I thought you loved Bella."

"I do, of course I do."

"Then what did you mean by that little statement you just made?" His voice was strained, like he was holding himself back from yelling. "You've both been miserable for a long time, and finally, you're starting to be happy together. I will not let you fuck this up, you hear me?"

This was not a conversation I could have at the nurses' station. I pointed toward the lounge and Emmett followed me. Once inside, I practically fell onto the couch, holding my head in my hands and couldn't help but think about the last time I sat exactly like this, the night of Bella's accident.

"Edward…"

I looked up. "I made this mistake last time with Irina. I thought… I thought our relationship was absolutely perfect and that we'd last forever… have kids and grow old together, the whole package. Then she went ahead and cheated on me. You know what it did to me, and now there's Bella." I shook my head. "She's beautiful, kind and trustworthy… she's everything I could ever want. Though, I can't bring myself to think about the future. I can't put on the rose glasses this time. It- It scares me, Em."

"You think Bella is going to cheat on you?" he asked.

"No, I don't fucking think that. I just said she is trustworthy," I snapped, followed by a groan and regretting my outburst immediately.

Em was just trying to help. He was looking out for me and also for Bella, though they had never even met. I was very grateful for that. It was just that I'd been thinking obsessively ever since I'd woken up with Bella in my arms on the first day of this new year, trying to remember what mistakes I'd made last time and making sure not to repeat them.

 _I'd been awake, but completely unwilling to move an inch, so for a good half hour, I lay there, with Bella's head resting on my chest, and watched her sleep. The little sounds of her rhythmic breathing, the feel of her soft hair as they tickled the skin of my neck, and the warmth of her arm draped over my torso… I felt that I could spend the rest of my life content, just being with her like that._

 _When she stirred, I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my lips, listening to her frustrated groan as she fought to hold on to the sleep that was evading her. She went still for another minute or so, but the attempt was futile. Soon enough, she opened her eyes with a huff._

 _"_ _Good morning," I said softly, pushing away a lock of her hair that was falling over her eyes._

 _"_ _Morning," she replied, smiling her beautiful smile, and fisting her hand in my T-shirt. She pulled herself up slightly, pressing a small kiss over the corner of my mouth. I turned my head to meet her lips fully but she backed away._

 _"_ _Nope, not until we're minty fresh, mister," she giggled, while I had to make do with a kiss on her cheek. I sighed dramatically._

 _She rolled onto her back, and I followed, laying my head over her stomach and looking up at her. She ran her fingers through my hair. I could have purred at how amazing it felt._

 _"_ _This is nice," she whispered._

 _"_ _I know. You have a thing for my hair."_

 _That earned me a sharp tug at said hair._

 _"_ _Be careful. If you pull it out, I'm not gonna be handsome anymore."_

 _She laughed. "At the risk of inflating your already hyper-active ego this morning, I'd say that somehow, I doubt that. While I do love this," she mussed my hair, "you know that's not all I meant."_

 _"_ _I know," I replied. "I agree. It_ is _nice, more so than I could ever have imagined."_

 _She hesitated for a moment, while I waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. "Should it be like this? I mean, this comfortable, so soon? Is it always like this?"_

 _I shrugged. "It has never been this way for me, if that's what you're asking. Then again, I've always known that we had something special."_

 _The dark brown depth of her eyes sparkled playfully. "Even when you were running from it?" she teased._

 _"_ _Even when I was running from it," I replied honestly. "Especially then."_

 _Her hand reached down cupped my cheek, pulling me up to her face and pecking me once. She turned her face away when I tried to deepen the kiss._

 _"_ _Bella!" I protested, or rather, whined._

 _She pushed me away, giggling at the pout on my face and jumping off the bed. "Find me a toothbrush and then we'll talk." She walked out of the room, still chuckling at my expense and I practically ran to the cabinet in the bathroom._

"Helloooo!" Emmett's meaty paw was waving in front of my eyes, and pulling me back to the present.

"Uh, sorry," I muttered. "What were you saying?"

"I wasn't. _You_ were freaking out about your relationship."

"I'm not-" I sighed. "I'm not freaking out. I'm just saying I don't want to think about the future just yet. Even if I know it in my heart that she's it for me, I'm not ready to acknowledge it. Does that mean… isn't that wrong? Shouldn't I be more confident, more optimistic about this?"

"That's abso-freaking-lutely fine, Edward!" He patted my shoulder. "Listen, this whole discussion sounds… to be honest, it sounds a little crazy. I know you've been pining for this girl for a year and a half, but it has been just a few days since you got together officially. There's no need to think about the future just yet. I know how you think. When you decide to do something, you dive in head-on. It's all or nothing for you. At this point, it is _okay_ to take things one day at a time."

I released the breath I hadn't even known I'd been holding. Until Emmett had said those words, I hadn't realized how much I needed to hear them.

"Bella is not looking for you to commit your life to her after ten days of being together." He held up his hand to stop me from interrupting. "I know, I know. You would do it in a heartbeat. You're just not ready to think about it because it frightens you. That's okay, Edward. I know Carlisle and Esme fell in love at first sight and got married within two months of knowing each other, but you tried that once and it didn't work. Do it differently now. Take this one day at a time, make the most of every moment you have with Bella and stop worrying about things that are just in your head."

Shocked to silence, I sat there listening to Em's little speech. Emmett and I had been friends for almost ten years now, but I'd _never_ talked about the influence my parents' marriage had on my relationship with Irina with anyone other than Bella. My big goof of a friend was much more perceptive than I had given him credit for and I was grateful to have him in my corner.

"You two are going to be just fine. I'm sure of that. You know why?"

I took the bait, shaking my head.

"Because of your face five minutes ago when you were thinking about her. That, my friend, was the face of a guy hopelessly in love. I-" He trailed off when the door opened and Jasper waltzed in.

"Why was I not invited to this party?" he asked Emmett and me as he headed over to the refrigerator.

"Just giving Edward a little relationship advice here, love guru that I am," Emmett said, proud as a peacock, while Jasper looked dubious, and glanced at me for confirmation.

I shrugged.

"What's the problem? Maybe I can throw in my two cents too," he offered, sitting down across from me.

"Uh, really, Jazz?" Emmett teased, using the nickname that Maria had bestowed upon him, which never failed to make Jasper's face scrunch up like he'd just licked a rotten lemon. "Bella is a nice girl. If Edward starts acting like you, she'd be gone faster than he can utter the first syllable of _Sorry._ "

Jasper frowned, looking legitimately hurt. "Hey, I can get a nice girl."

Em and I exchanged a puzzled glance. Jasper had always been a self-certified playboy, and proud of it, too. We'd teased him countless times about his lifestyle and he'd never take it to heart, always replying that we simply didn't know what we were missing. I had no idea what had happened to change that.

"Sure you can, dude," Em placated him. "I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean anything by it. I'm always pulling your leg."

Jasper waved it off. "It's all good."

"Oh!" Em smacked his forehead, and winced. "Before I forget, Jasper, you are cordially invited to a night out at Eclipse on the 22nd to celebrate my Rosie's birthday."

"Eclipse? Isn't that the new club near your place? Man, I've been dying to try it out."

"Thank you!" Em bellowed. "That's the reaction I was hoping for! Watch and learn, Cullen."

"I never said I wasn't excited about it. It's just that Bella has some important submissions coming up next week. I don't know her exact schedule, so I'll talk to her and then let you know if we can make it. That's all I said."

"You could come alone if she's not free. Or does having a girlfriend mean doing everything together?" Jasper looked between us.

I scowled, but Emmett spoke up before I could. "Yeah, uh, _Jazz_ , why don't you leave the advising to me?" He turned to me. "Edward, Rose and I are really excited about meeting Bella. She told me _specifically_ to tell you that. She's been talking about meeting her ever since she's heard your entire history and then heard you go all lovey-dovey over the phone. I was holding her back, since I thought you two should have a little more time before the whole "meeting the friends" thing. So, you let me know what works for you, and if Bella has school stuff, we can do this another time, okay?"

I smiled. "Will do. Thank you."

The sound of my ringing phone kicked my heart into overdrive. I heard my two friends snickering as I jumped up excitedly and answered.

"Hi! I'm here," the sweetest voice said, bringing a huge smile to my lips.

"Where are you?"

"Just getting in through the main doors."

"Okay, walk straight down the hallway. Take a right from the reception and come over to the lounge."

"Lounge? I thought we were just going to be leaving," she wondered.

"Someone here wants to meet you."

"Okaaay. I'll be right there."

I walked out quickly and a minute later, there she was, looking around. When her eyes landed on me, she covered the remaining distance between us and I immediately pulled her into my arms.

"Missed you," she mumbled against my skin.

I held her closer. "I missed you too."

Her teachers had been really cracking the whip after the winter break. They had a couple of assignments lined up that would be counted in their final grades. They also had a certain exam coming up sometime in February. Combine all of that with my hectic workload and the result was that we hadn't seen each other in three days. We texted or sneaked in a few minutes of calls throughout the day, but it just wasn't the same as seeing her and having her in my arms. Today, though, Bella had a lighter schedule with just two classes, so she'd decided to tackle the task of getting herself a new car. When she asked me if I would like to join her, I practically jumped at the chance of spending time with her.

"So, who is that _someone_ waiting to see me?" she asked me, pulling away.

"Come on in."

We entered, and Emmett rushed to us, immediately wrapping Bella in a tight hug.

"Bella, Bella, Bella! It's so nice to meet the girl who's managed to make our dear Grumpy here loosen up! Never thought I'd see the day, but you made it happen!"

Poor Bella had been shocked into immobility for a few seconds. Once she managed to recover, she laughed and hugged him back.

"Hi, Emmett. It's nice to meet you too."

It was a full minute before he released her. Jasper said hello and we all settled onto the couches.

My two friends were full of questions for my girlfriend about her college and studies, and she was a good sport, answering them patiently. Emmett mentioned Rosalie's party and asked Bella if she would be free that night.

"The 22nd, right?" She looked over to me, and I smiled in response, leaving the decision up to her. "Sure, I'd love to come. It would give me a nice break from the studying. Exams won't start until February, so the 22nd should be good."

Emmett whooped. "Awesome! Rosie would love to meet you."

Bella smiled. "I'd love that too. Rosalie is your wife?"

"Yes," he replied, grinning. "We'll be celebrating our fifth anniversary this June."

"That's wonderful." She turned to Jasper, who'd been silent for the last few minutes. "What about you, Jasper?"

I watched as he gulped. "Uh, no. Definitely not married." My brow creased as I wondered why he was behaving so strangely today.

Emmett chatted with Bella, while I observed Jasper. He chimed in occasionally, but looked slightly uncomfortable. Once again, I wondered why. He'd been perfectly fine in Bella's presence during her stay and check up at the hospital. I didn't know what was bothering him now.

"Ready to go?" Bella's question interrupted my train of thought.

"Yeah."

After the goodbyes, we headed out, stopping by at a café around the block for a quick lunch.

"You agreed because you wanted to, right?" I asked Bella once we'd ordered our food.

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Rosalie's party. I just want to make sure you didn't feel like you _had_ to do it. I know Emmett can come off a little strong the first time you meet him."

I was relieved when she smiled. "It's okay. He seems nice. A little loud, maybe, but nice."

"He is a good friend. Loyal, too." I paused, looking down. "He was really there for me when I, uh, when Jasper was operating on you. He forced me to tell him everything about you… took my mind off what was happening for a little while."

Bella leaned forward, tilting her head until our eyes met. Her hand reached out to take mine, giving me a gentle squeeze and I smiled gratefully at the silent support.

The mood lightened once the waiter brought out our food and the conversation moved on to pleasant topics.

* * *

I looked up at the sign outside the building, and frowned.

"The Toyota dealership?"

"Yeah. Something wrong?"

"Shouldn't we get you something… safer?" I suggested, causing Bella to face me with her eyebrows raised in expectation of an explanation.

"It's just… If the airbags would have worked properly in your truck, maybe the accident… maybe your condition… Your heart had _stopped_ , Bella. They had to shock it back into rhythm and still, you were barely stabilized to take you to the OR." My voice shook, so I cleared my throat. "If the insurance money is not, uh-" What was I going to say? Offer to pay for it? If the scowl that was beginning to from on her brow was any indication, and from what I knew about Bella, she would never go for that. In fact, it would probably offend her, when all I wanted was to make sure she was safe.

"I'm a college student, Edward. I'm not supposed to blow loads of money on an extravagant car. There are plenty of safety features available among the reasonably-priced models," she said, a terse note sneaking into her voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound-" I trailed off, releasing a gush of air, frustrated with my inability to find the right words. "I just worry about you, Bella. When I think about what could have happened that night…"

Her features softened, probably in response to the desperate anxiety that laced my voice. "Don't," she whispered, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Don't think about it. I'm here, Edward. We're here. That's all that matters."

I sighed, holding on to her waist. I couldn't see a hint of wavering in her eyes.

"It's not about the money," she continued and the tenor of her voice was patient. "I have a trust fund that Nana set up for me. It's not much, but along with the scholarship I received, it is good enough for my tuition fees and day-to-day needs. The insurance company gave me a fair sum, and it is _very_ likely that after I buy a decent car, I'll have some of it left over and I'd like to keep it that way, you know, save that money. This is what I need right now, Edward. I'm _nineteen_. I haven't earned an Audi or a BMW. I have a lot to do until I get there. I shouldn't have excessive expenditures at this point in my life."

Pursing my lips, I mulled over her words. She was right, of course. This wasn't my choice to make. It was hers. I knew it all in my mind. Yet, my heart chose to focus solely on the fact that I loved her. Keeping her safe was of utmost importance to me regardless of the consequences.

She leaned in and I followed suit, closing the gap between us until our lips touched, then molded together, pushing and pulling against each other until we were panting to catch our breaths. When I felt her tongue caress mine, I pulled back slowly, not wanting this to escalate to the point where we wouldn't be able to stop, especially since we were in public.

Bella made a little sound of protest in the back of her throat, but I looked around pointedly and she understood. Despite that, I couldn't help but place a lingering kiss on the beautiful blush that had spread across her cheeks.

Bella sighed, regaining her composure after a moment. "How about this? We'll go in, shortlist the options and you can interrogate the salesman to your heart's delight on whatever safety features you want. Then, we'll choose a car together. One we both like."

I smiled wryly. "Is that the best deal I'm going to get?"

"Yep. Take it or leave it, Dr. Cullen," she giggled.

"You're too mature sometimes, you know that?" I pecked the tip of her nose. "Okay, I accept it."

"We have a deal," she announced and sealed it with another kiss.

Hand in hand, we went inside the showroom. While the salesman bombarded us with information about all the cars he had to offer, Bella's hand remained encased in mine. Once in a while, she look over at me with a smile and squeeze my fingers, both of which I'd return.

Her touch, her smile, her voice… They were exactly what I needed to push back the dark memories and reassure myself that she was here with me. We'd met, then separated, and met again in the most horrible circumstances, and now, here we were… together.

I hadn't lost her in the accident.

I'd found her.

* * *

 **A/N: So... thoughts? Questions? Anyone?  
**

 **I hope you have a great week ahead and I'll see you next Saturday! Until then, watch out for teasers on FB on Wednesday.**

 **~ForeverRobsessed**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:Hi! Hi! Hi! It's a day earlier than I had promised; I hope you don't mind ;) The chapter was ready to go, so, I thought, why the heck not?**

 **Your reviews for the last chapter blew me away! Thank you.  
**

 **As always, massive thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

I looked at my watch for the umpteenth time as I paced along the sidewalk next to my parked car. She should have been done by now.

Maybe I should have thought about this a little more and planned it out.

 _I guess surprises only work out perfectly in romance movies,_ I thought.

I was waiting for Bella outside the building where she had her last class for the day. It was also the last assignment that she had to hand in, and then she would be free, until February, at least. They had an exam coming up in the second week of February. Now, it wasn't a major one- just an overenthusiastic teacher's whim to quiz the students every other week-but my Bella never did something half-heartedly, and when it came to exams, she turned into a Type-A personality.

I couldn't be more proud of her for that. I was sure that her innate thirst for knowledge, her curiosity and eagerness to learn would make her an excellent doctor one day.

I'd asked Alice and she'd told me that Bella's class should be ending at four, but it was now four-thirty and there was no sign of her yet. I squelched the pang of worry that pulsed through my chest.

 _She was fine. Of course, she was. She was in the classroom. What was the worst thing that could happen in there?_

I distracted myself by thinking about the conversation I'd had with Alice this morning.

She sounded cordial and dare I say, even friendly, when we talked. I told her about my idea of surprising Bella at college and she sounded pleased. She informed me that Bella had chosen to walk to campus today, so we wouldn't have to worry about her car. Apparently, Bella had spilled the beans about everything that had happened between us after Alice left for her parents' place in Chicago, and the sincere efforts I'd put in to win Bella's heart had also earned me some brownie points in Alice's eyes.

She did threaten to kick my ass six ways to Sunday if I even thought about hurting Bella again.

All in all, it was a pleasant conversation.

It made me happy to have made some leeway in forming a good image of myself in her eyes, simply because I knew how important she was to Bella.

The pitter-patter of footsteps and the sudden increase in the noise level around me alerted me to the group of students walking out of the building. I looked around for a moment, searching.

There she was.

She was wearing a pale pink woolen tunic. The color matched perfectly against her porcelain skin. My gaze travelled over her face, as an involuntary smile tugged at my lips. She laughed along with the blonde girl walking beside her, thoroughly engrossed in whatever was amusing them. Her hair shone in the sunlight. The glints of red were just as prominent as they'd been over a year ago in the meadow, which was the day I'd realized for the first time just how extraordinarily beautiful she was.

I watched as the blonde girl waved goodbye and walked away toward her car. Since Bella hadn't spotted me, I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

She rooted around in her bag, pulling out her cell phone and glancing at the screen. With a big smile etched on her beautiful face, she answered, "Hi, baby!"

 _Yep, we'd moved on to terms of endearment now._

"Hi. Where are you?"

"Still at the campus. My class just ended."

"How did it go?"

"Oh, it was great, Edward! I can't wait to see you and tell you all about it."

I smiled, as she gave me the perfect cue. "Well, luckily, you don't need to wait. First, I have to tell you that even though blue is my absolute favorite color on you, this shade of pink is a close second."

I was too far to hear it, but I saw as her lips parted in a gasp, before she looked around wildly. After finally spotting me, she grinned and crossed the distance between us quickly right before she flung herself into my arms. Her hands held my face as her lips brushed against mine.

"Is it crazy that I missed you even after not seeing you for a day? I mean, we did talk just last night," she whispered against my mouth.

I pursed my lips, pretending to think about it. "Hmm, maybe, but, if it is, you can book me a spot in the loony bin because I missed you like crazy, too."

She laughed heartily, the sound warming my heart. I couldn't resist leaning in and kissing her once again. She responded eagerly with a light moan escaping her throat as our lips came together. When she opened her mouth to me, our tongues mingled together. The world faded away as her taste, her scent and her warmth overwhelmed my senses.

"Bella!"

The voice was sharp and angry, snapping me back, quite harshly, to reality.

We broke apart reluctantly. Bella blinked rapidly, still dazed and I probably would have been smug at my kissing abilities, but I had no time to think about that. My eyes focused on the fuming dark-haired, honey-skinned guy standing in front of me and glaring daggers at us.

Jacob Black.

Bella extricated herself from my arms and turned around. My lips twitched at his venomous expression, when she didn't let go completely and took my hand instead.

"Jacob," she greeted him in an even voice.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he bellowed, causing the few people in our proximity to look over curiously.

The way he spoke to Bella was enough to make my blood boil and I took an instinctive step toward him, only to stop when Bella's grip on my hand tightened. She shook her head minutely, before turning her head to face him.

"What do you want, Jake?" She was being entirely too polite for my taste, but, people were already beginning to gather and whisper around us. Creating any more of a scene would not do Bella any good.

"What do I want?" he sneered. "What I want is for you to tell me what the hell you're doing with this guy? He was your doctor, wasn't he? The one at the hospital who kept coming around every fucking day."

"How dare you talk to her like that?" I hissed. I was having a hard time restraining myself from punching the delusional guy, who obviously thought he had some sort of a claim on Bella.

"Mind your language," Bella spat at him, still clasping my hand tightly. It was the only thing that kept me rooted to my spot during the entire exchange. "I don't owe you any explanations."

My fists balled reflexively when he scoffed. "Like hell you don't! You were going out with me, and now I see you kissing this son of a-"

"It was one date, Jacob, if I can even call it that. I ended whatever you thought we had when I called you before New Year, so, I'm saying this for the last time and get it into your thick skull- I _do not_ owe you any further explanations and you have no right to talk to me this way." Bella turned to me. "Let's go."

I still wanted to punch the shit out of Jacob Black, but her eyes were pleading me to let it go, and she was right. I needed to act like the mature, rational adult I was and walk away. For her, and _only for her_ , I swallowed down the words I ached to hurl at him and opened the passenger door of the car. Bella quickly took a seat. By the time I revved the engine, a couple of guys I'd never seen before were standing with Jacob, trying to calm him down and pull him away before he could make any more of a fool of himself than he already had. We drove off without sparing him another glance.

We ended up on at Bella's dorm, curled up together on the couch in the living room. We sipped at our glasses of cold coffee silently, lost in our own thoughts.

I had a suspicion which was nagging at me, but I wondered whether voicing it now would do us any good or just cause more harm.

Finally, Bella sighed, placing our empty glasses on the table and took my hand. Her slender fingers softly traced the lines in my palm. The simple, little action was highly distracting as I found my thoughts drifting away from Jacob and his abominable behavior to my girl's warm, soft body pressed up against my side.

"What are you thinking?" she wondered.

"Right this second, or before you started distracting me?"

She giggled. "Before."

I exhaled heavily. "The way you reacted to Jacob today… Bella, it makes me think that this was not the first time he's accosted you."

My hunch was confirmed when her eyes flickered away from mine. It was just for a second, but it was enough. "Bella…" I groaned in aggravation.

"Fine, you're right, but, I swear, he's never been like this before. He has tried to talk to me twice at school after the holidays. He was… polite. He just kept asking me why I _tried_ to break up with him and when I told him again that I was with someone else now, he asked me who it was. I told him it wasn't any of his business and he left me alone after that."

"You should have told me about this."

She sighed. "I had absolutely no clue that he'd become so… so rude and jealous, or create a scene in front of the entire student body."

"Now we do know," I said pointedly. "You need to stay away from him, Bella. You saw him today, how volatile he has become." She was about to interrupt, but I forged ahead without a pause. "Please, for my sanity. Just keep someone close with you, if he crosses your way. Please, that's all I'm asking."

"Okay," she said softly, squeezing my hand. "I promise. I'll be careful." She lifted my arm, and cuddled underneath it. "He wasn't always like this, you know. He's been a great friend of mine since we were kids. I don't know what has come over him now." Her voice was sad.

I knew exactly what his problem was. He was jealous, plain and simple. It was exactly what I'd felt when I'd seen him with Bella in the hospital. The only difference was that I realized that I had no claim over her at the time. So, no matter how much I wanted to throw a tantrum that would put a three year old to shame, I kept my feelings shut tight in a box and shoved it far away in some corner of my mind.

I wondered if Jacob was capable of that. I saw the way he questioned Bella today and if I had to guess, I would say that he had probably thought that of his relationship with Bella as a done deal. When Bella had said no, he managed to convince himself that sooner or later, she would come back to him. Seeing her with me today must have been the last straw that made him snap.

How far would he go? That was the question.

"Edward, I can almost hear the gears turning in your head. You're going to give yourself grey hair if you keep going like this. Just drop this now," Bella suggested. "Forget about him."

"I wish I could," I muttered.

A wicked gleam appeared in her brown eyes, as she smirked. "Oh, I can think of a few ways to distract you."

Before I could even _begin_ to comprehend that little comment, she threw her leg over mine, straddling my lap. My eyebrows shot to my hairline when she gathered her hair to one side and leaned in, creating a dark curtain around the two of us.

"Is it working?" she whispered. Her lips were no more than a centimeter away from mine.

"Yes." My voice cracked. I couldn't even be bothered with being embarrassed at this point. Not when my shy Bella had unleashed this… uh… sultry goddess from somewhere within herself.

"Good," she whispered and my lips parted. She pulled up my arms, bringing them around the small of her back and I locked my fingers there. I could feel her hot breath as it caressed my lips. The moment of anticipation sent shivers down my spine, as she came closer and closer until our lips fused together in a hard kiss.

Since we'd gotten together, I'd never allowed myself to fully lose control with Bella. I'd kissed her plenty of times, but it was always soft, tender and loving. This time, it was different. When Bella wiggled in my lap, practically grinding against me, all shreds of control snapped and I let the sensations she was evoking in me cloud my mind completely. Nothing else remained, but the sounds of our groans, the whispers of our panting breaths and the feeling of her chest pressed deliciously against mine.

Our mouths moved frantically against each other- lips tugging and sucking, tongues rubbing and stroking, hands grasping at every inch of skin they could reach.

Bella gasped into my mouth when my hips bucked up reflexively and for a split second, I panicked.

It was unnecessary.

Her loud moan resonated through my chest as she tilted and moved her pelvis once again, smiling into the kiss when a hiss left my mouth.

The sound of keys being jiggled inside the lock didn't filter through my desire-addled brain until it was too late. A distinct, piercing _"Oh shit!"_ rang out in the room, before I could shift Bella from my lap.

Pulling away from my mouth, Bella leaned her forehead against mine as we tried to regain our breaths. I looked over her head, and saw Alice hopping on one leg and attempting to remove her boots with one hand while the other was held over her eyes.

I swallowed hard and breathed slowly, willing my body to calm down.

Bella saw Alice and snickered, while moving off my lap and onto the couch. "You can open your eyes, Ali. We're decent."

Despite the confirmation, Alice peeked through her fingers before dropping her hand completely. "Please." She waved a hand. "Don't stop on my account. I can just head on over to my room."

"Oh, shut up! Like you were any better in that first month," Bella retorted.

"It was not a full month! It was _one week_ and that shit got old pretty soon," she huffed and stomped away.

Bella giggled while I looked on, completely lost.

"When college started-," she explained. "-in the first week, Alice brought four different guys back here after her classes and I received a free, unwanted pass to their make out sessions every day, since they never made it to her bedroom." I didn't know how to react to that little piece of information, so I tried to keep my expression neutral, but judging by the amusement etched on Bella's face, I wasn't very successful.

"Do not make me out to be a slut in front of your boyfriend, Swan!" Alice shrieked from inside her room.

"Okay, okay," Bella yelled back. Turning to me, she said, "Alice wanted to "make the most" of the college experience. When we heard about three of those guys swapping curses and throwing punches at each other in their dorms, needless to say, Alice realized that she'd bitten off more than she could chew and she gave up her promiscuous ways."

"We just _kissed!_ Kissing is not promiscuous!" she ranted, barging back into the living room in what I presumed were her pajamas. She turned to me with a petulant pout. "Is it, Edward?"

 _Shit. What am I supposed to say?_

"I-uh, I don't think so." I looked between them hesitantly.

Alice was satisfied with that. "There." She stuck her tongue out at Bella, who laughed and rolled her eyes. "What are you guys doing here anyway? I thought you were taking her out somewhere," she asked me.

We relayed the incident with Jacob and Alice appeared to be as surprised as Bella at his outburst.

"Where did you want to go?" Bella asked me.

I shrugged. "Honestly, I hadn't zeroed down on anything. I'd planned to ask you what you were in the mood for."

Bella's reply was interrupted when her phone rang. _The Cougar Anthem_ blared out at full volume, making Bella glare at Alice.

"When did you get your hands on my phone?"

"Last week, actually." She chortled. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time! I'm so glad that I was here for it. It suits her well, don't you think?"

Bella just shook her head. "Hello, Mom," she answered, walking over to the kitchen.

As soon as she was out of sight, Alice turned to me. "So?"

I raised my eyebrows expectantly.

"I take it by the visual I came home to that things are going good with you guys?" She grinned.

I cleared my throat, shifting slightly on the couch that had apparently been a witness to several make-out sessions. Now, I had added one of mine to the list.

"Yeah, we're good."

"I'm glad, Edward." Alice's voice turned soft and sincere. "Bella has been so happy ever since you both got together. It's nice to see her like this, you know. I had my doubts about you, but I must say, you're doing good job so far."

I didn't know what to say. I figured I couldn't go wrong with the truth. "Making Bella happy is all I want to do."

"That bodes well for our friendship in the future." She winked, and I chuckled.

Bella returned with an incomprehensible look on her face. Alice looked at me with a grimace and shook her head.

We were all silent for a minute. Then, Bella said, "She called to tell me that Phil has a meeting with some agency here who might be interested in signing him. So, she may make an appearance with him sometime soon."

"That's good, isn't it?" I said tentatively.

"I think so. I've missed her." She sighed. "Then she asked about what's going on with me. I heard someone's voice calling for her, so she put me on hold for a minute. When she came back, I told her that I was dating someone. I was about to tell her more about you, and then she left me hanging for a while again. She returned to tell me that she's got to go and will call again later. She asked about my life, and the one thing I told her probably didn't even register in her mind because what mother wouldn't bombard her daughter with questions about who she was seeing? She went on and on about Phil's recent stats, how his team was holding him back and what this contract could mean for them. When it was my turn to talk, she just… had better things to do. Why did she even call, then, if she didn't want to hear what I had to say?"

Silently, I took her hand in mine. She squeezed it with a rueful smile.

"I know what this calls for." Alice jumped up and hurried to the kitchen.

I put my arm around Bella and she leaned into me. Pressing my lips to her hair, I murmured, "I'm sorry you're hurting, baby."

She sighed. "It's fine, Edward. I'm okay. I just… I just keep wondering when exactly I'll stop expecting things from her, you know? She's always been like this. She's not a bad person; I am sure she doesn't even realize that she's doing this. That doesn't mean that I don't feel, well, a little slighted. Is it wrong of me to feel this way? Am I selfish?"

Gently, I rubbed large, soothing circles on her back. "No, Bella. You are not wrong in expecting her to take an interest in your life. She's your mother; of course you'd want that. I guess no family is perfect. We can't change it. We just have to deal with what we're given."

"I know," she breathed. "You're right. I'll snap out of the funk. I always do. I've just had enough for one day now. First Jacob, now Renee."

"I have just the thing to make it all better," Alice said with a smile, and we looked up. She was holding something behind her back.

"And what's that?" Bella asked.

With dramatic flair, she slowly brought her hands forth. They held the box of chocolate cookie mix that Bella and I had purchased after her last hospital checkup.

I was thankful when it brought a smile to Bella's face.

"Chocolate therapy, huh? Sounds good to me," she said.

"I'll get the bowls and the flour ready." Alice left to give us a moment alone.

"Think you can handle a little measuring and mixing, Dr. Cullen?"

"You bet." I grinned.

"We could go out tomorrow, if you want," she said with a frown. "I'm sorry our plans for today got messed up."

I shushed her. "I don't need to go out, Bella. I just want to be with you, that's all."

"Stay with me tonight? The bed is queen sized, but I think we can squeeze in." She looked at me with hopeful eyes.

"I'm sure we can manage." I kissed her, pleased when she sighed contentedly and wrapped her arms around my neck.

 _Silly girl, didn't she realize?_

 _If she asked, I'd stay with her forever._

* * *

 **A/N:Well...? How was that for a distraction? Someone asked for, ahem, sexy times. You know who you are, lol! That was a start, right?  
**

 **I'm always nervous about this stuff. What do you think- Good, bad, or meh?**

 **Are you guys checking out the teasers I post on FB? I usually put them up on Wednesday, so, if you want a sneak peek into the next chapter a little sooner, check it out! You can find me there as Kayla Cullen.**

 **Thank God the weekend's almost here. Hope you have a lovely one!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N- Hello, dear readers.**

 **Meet the Mate results are out! My entry didn't win, but it was well-received and I'm very grateful for all the reviews! It's up on my profile now, along with the promise of its continuation ;) I'm working on it, and will do more once this one is finished. In case you were wondering, Start Over will have around 18 chapters, plus an epilogue. So, we're not too far from the end now.**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa help me make this pretty. Thank you, ladies :)**

 **Now, go ahead! Happy reading!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 13**

I knocked at the door to Bella's bedroom. "We've got to go, Bella."

"One second!"

It was the night of Rosalie's party. Bella had been very enthusiastic at the time when Emmett had invited her, but since this morning, she had become nervous about going.

 _"_ _What if they don't like me?"_

She'd asked me that question about ten times today.

Since neither of us was sure about how or when we were going to talk to our parents- well, my parents, and Charlie- about our relationship, meeting the friends was the next important step.

Or so I had been informed.

I reminded Bella constantly that she had already met Emmett and Jasper, and they had liked her instantly, so there was nothing to worry about. When I said that, she would relax for a while, and the next moment, she'd start fretting about Rosalie's reaction.

Bella's close friends included Alice, Jacob and Angela. I was now well acquainted with the first two, and I'd met Angela twice when I'd headed over to Bella's school on my break, to have lunch with her.

Angela was a nice girl, maybe a little shy and on the quieter side, but kind. She seemed to match Bella's personality perfectly, while Alice was the polar opposite. Despite the differences, the three girls had gelled together quite well and were thick as thieves.

Alice was notoriously absent when I arrived to pick up Bella. It puzzled me, because she had been _very_ excited about this night. She had accompanied Bella on the shopping expedition for her dress for this party and promised to help her with her make-up. However, I hadn't seen her tonight, and that struck me a little strange. I deliberated over asking Bella about it.

All thoughts flew from my mind when the door finally opened and the breathtaking vision that was my girlfriend stepped out.

She was dressed in a thin-strapped, ink blue dress that reached up to her knees and hugged her curves to perfection. Her hair was twisted up in some sort of an intricate design that I couldn't name, with a few lustrous locks framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyelids were shaded and her long lashes cast little shadows over her skin when she blinked.

"Well?" she asked. She spoke, but my brain didn't register the sound, instead focusing on the light pink sheen on her lips which made them look even fuller and sparked in me a strong desire to ravish them.

"Edward?" she said softly, while I stood dumbly in front of her, gaping like a fish.

I swallowed thickly, finally locating my voice. "You look stunning, Bella. I can't even… I don't have words to describe just how beautiful you are."

A rosy blush spread across her face and made her look more perfect, if that was even possible.

"Thank you," she said with a shy, but genuinely happy smile playing at her lips.

"Shall we?" I asked mainly to distract myself. If I kissed her now, we would definitely not make it to the club on time.

Bella took a moment to put on her heels, and then we were off.

I asked her about Alice in the car, and she frowned slightly. "She just said that she had somewhere to be. I asked, but she wouldn't tell me anything else. She did leave me precise instructions about how I was supposed to do my hair and make-up. She's been a little secretive since she came back from her parents', but I let it go, thinking that it must have been some family matter and she'd tell me if she wanted me to know. Now, I don't know."

I took her hand. "Maybe you could talk to her tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll give it a shot."

A few minutes later, we arrived at Eclipse and I handed over the keys to the valet, who eyed my car with unrestrained glee.

Bella laughed at the discomfort on my face. "Your little baby will be just fine, Edward. Let's go."

We walked in, hand in hand. Rosalie knew the manager, so, like Em had assured me, we had no problem in getting past the bouncers. The music was loud, but not overly so and the lighting muted. On our right was the huge dance floor, with pulsing lights and gyrating bodies. I lead Bella over to the booths on the other side, separated from the bar and the dance floor by glass doors, since that was where Emmett had told me we would be convening.

I spotted him pretty quickly, his large hand waving at us wildly from the corner booth in the last row.

We reached them and he stood immediately with outstretched arms. Completely ignoring me, he reached out to embrace Bella.

"So happy to see you here, Bellie! Thanks for coming."

Bella laughed and replied in kind, while Rosalie stepped forward to hug me.

"Happy birthday, Rose." I kissed her cheek and handed her our present- a bracelet that Bella had helped me pick out.

When Emmett released her, Bella held out a hand to greet Rosalie.

"So, you're the one I've been hearing so much about, huh?" She looked at Bella speculatively and shook her hand.

"I guess I am," she said. "It's nice to meet you, Rosalie. Happy birthday." Her voice was sure and confident as she placed her hand back in mine.

"You're serious about this? About Edward?" Rose asked her. "He's been hurt badly in the past and being his friend, I have no intention of sitting by and watching it happen again. I hope you are aware of the struggles that might arise for you simply because of your age difference. Are you ready to face them and not balk at the first sight of trouble?"

 _My God! Rosalie McCarty could never be accused of mincing her words._

I would have stepped in, but Bella's swift glance toward me made it clear that she wanted to handle this on her own.

I watched as Bella's shoulders straightened and she faced Rosalie with no hint of her previous nervousness visible on her features. "What we have is nobody's business but our own. That said, I'm pleased to see that Edward has such protective and supportive friends. I know I'm young, but, I have seen enough in life to know that when you… care for someone, life doesn't automatically turn into a fairy tale. Relationships need work, but with the way I feel for Edward, I am willing and even _eager_ to do that work. I know he's been hurt before; I've seen exactly how lost he had been after the divorce. I've learnt that a promise to never hurt someone is practically impossible to keep. All you can do is try your best to make them happy and if you flounder, you apologize, support each other and move on, together." She gave me a tender smile and I returned it proudly.

Rosalie eyed us carefully for another tense moment, and then, I watched in shock as she reached out to embrace Bella, as though they were long lost friends. They whispered back and forth for a few seconds and pulled away with huge smiles on their faces, while I was still staring at them in surprise.

Rosalie saw my expression and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She knew exactly what. Rosalie was not one to trust someone or let them into her life easily, and yet, she had immediately welcomed Bella with open arms.

Pun intended.

Hell, the first time I met her, I had to be content with a handshake and a few cursory, polite words.

"Stop looking at me like that, Edward. Anyone who can make _you_ loosen up and act all giddy and smitten is a winner in my book." She winked at Bella, who giggled. "I think we'll be good friends, Bella. I've heard a lot about you from my husband and I look forward to getting to know more about you."

Bella smiled. "I'd like that."

As we sat, I asked Emmett, "Jasper's not here yet?"

"No, but he told me he's on his way. Oh, and get this, he's bringing a date," he said pointedly.

My eyes widened. "A date? Maria?"

"No. At least, I don't think it's her. Otherwise, he would have said her name, right?"

"I guess."

"Why is that so surprising?" Bella asked me. I opened my mouth to answer her, but as if on cue, I heard Jasper's voice.

"Happy birthday, Rosalie!" he bellowed and we all turned.

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open when I saw the woman on his arm. I heard Bella's gasp as she, too, registered what I was seeing and it shattered my hope that I was dreaming.

Or possibly delusional.

"Alice?"

"Hey, Bella, Edward!" She grinned, and then turned to introduce herself to Rosalie and Emmett.

I watched Jasper's face for any indication of what the hell he was doing. Emmett seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he glanced at me while Alice greeted Rosalie.

"What are you doing here?" Bella voiced my thoughts, as they settled down across the table from us. "What's going on?"

"Well, Jasper and I, we're dating," Alice stated, looking over at him with an adoring smile. "We started chatting when he texted me over Christmas break, that led to more talking and we started seeing each other once I came back."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bella frowned slightly.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. We just wanted it to be a surprise! Isn't it a good one?" she beamed. "When Emmett told Jasper about this party, we thought it was the perfect time to tell all of you, together."

"Yes, definitely." Bella smiled back, while Em, Rose and I nodded slightly, and exchanged concerned glances.

Jasper was ignoring all of us, choosing to focus only on Alice and Bella. That was fine, for now. He would most certainly not be able to ignore me when I caught him alone tomorrow.

The waitress arrived to take our orders, and I shot a surprised look at Bella when she asked for a beer. She winked and shrugged.

Rose saw our little exchange and cheered, "The girl deserves to have a little fun, Edward!"

"I didn't say anything!" I scowled. I didn't like the way she said that. She made it sound like I was about to prohibit Bella from drinking, and that was completely untrue. I'd been surprised, that was all.

"Hey." Bella took my hand and squeezed it. "I know you didn't mean anything by it." She turned to Rose with a smile. "He just hasn't seen me drink before. I certainly don't make a habit of it. I've had beer just a few times before at some parties Alice emotionally blackmailed me into attending. Just because I'm a straight A student doesn't mean I can't have a little fun. Right, Rose?"

"Hell yeah! I'm beginning to like you more and more, Bella." She held out a hand for Bella to clap. When Rose tried to apologize to me, I waved her off with a smile. I realized that she didn't mean to hurt me with her comments. It just ticked me off for a minute.

The girls kept the conversation flowing, talking about their areas of interest, as well as about Rosalie's job as an accountant in a major corporate firm. Emmett and Jasper also chimed in occasionally, while I tried to comment as and when required. I was only half-focused on that conversation. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Jasper and Alice interact throughout dinner.

They seemed… normal. They talked to the rest of us, as well as shared some whispers with each other. Alice appeared happy, while Jasper… I'd say that he looked a little uncomfortable. He put on a good show for her with all his smiles, but I could read the signs, the most important one being that he wouldn't meet my eyes. Just once, our gazes locked, but he looked away quickly.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out Jasper's game here.

 _Why was he doing this?_

 _Did he really like Alice? Was he willing to change for her, and give up his old ways?_

 _Why keep it a secret, then?_

 _Or did he consider her the same as all the other girls he slept with and forgot?_

Bella's hand on my thigh brought me back to the present and I realized that the waitress was clearing our dishes.

"Are you okay, Edward?" she whispered to me, concern evident in her eyes and her features.

I inhaled deeply, resolving to stop letting this matter ruin our time together. Bella had been so excited about this night, and I couldn't let my concerns about Jasper overshadow her happiness.

I squeezed her hand. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You've been so quiet," she murmured. "You can tell me if something is bothering you. You know that, right?"

I leaned in to place a lingering kiss on her cheek. "Yes, I know that and I will tell you, but not now. Right now, we're here to enjoy ourselves and that's exactly what we're going to do. I'm sorry I worried you, baby."

"I'll hold you to it," she warned and I nodded, pecking her lips.

"That's enough, you two! Or do I need to get you a room?" Rosalie's voice was stern, but she was wearing a mischievous grin. "C'mon, Bella, Alice. Let's hit the floor."

Bella looked a little nervous, but she took Rosalie's outstretched hand and rose. I smiled at her encouragingly.

Alice turned to Jasper, biting her lip. "You coming?" she asked. I had never seen her act like this. Her tone exuded coyness, while her expression was flirty.

"Hell yeah," he replied in a gruff voice.

I stood to let Bella pass. "I'm looking forward to watching you," I whispered against the shell of her ear, enjoying the flushed state of her cheeks.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, Emmett turned to me. "What the hell was that?"

"I have no idea," I muttered. "I can only hope that he is serious about her."

"Tell me about it. She's not like his usual conquests. Plus, with her friendship with Bella, this could end up being a major clusterfuck for you. I mean, that's not a girl you just fuck and forget. That girl is a keeper."

"I know that." I sighed. "We'll see, Em."

I craned my head, trying to look for Bella but we were too far from the dance floor to catch a glimpse. So, I stood up and walked toward the front with Emmett.

The song that was playing was in a woman's voice. I didn't recognize it, but the rhythmic beat was good, perfect for dancing.

I finally found Bella. She and Rosalie were almost at the edge of the dance floor. The way Rose moved, I could tell that she was completely lost in the music. Her hands ran through her long, blond hair as she rotated her hips to the pulsing rhythm.

"Hot damn," Emmett muttered, before making a beeline for his wife.

I couldn't focus on them any longer, since my eyes were drawn to the dark haired beauty right beside them. Bella was not moving as freely as Rose, but her eyes were closed and she slowly swayed her body in sync with the beat. My legs moved forward of their own accord, dragging me toward her as though she was a magnet.

I pushed past the throngs of people until I was right behind her. My hands encircled her slender waist, turning her around and bringing her flush to my body. Her eyes snapped open with a gasp, but she relaxed and smiled when she realized it was me.

Her arms came up to wrap around my neck, pulling my head down to meet her lips in a sensual kiss. Her fingers tangled in my hair as her tongue stroked my lip and I gladly opened my mouth to her. All the while, her body slithered and swayed in my arms, in tandem with the music, while I tasted and explored every inch of her mouth. My hands dipped below the small of her back, and I pulled her closer to me, until there wasn't even a hairsbreadth of space between us.

When getting some air into our lungs became absolutely necessary, we broke apart. The song morphed into another one, this new one much slower. Bella gave me a lazy smile, before resting her head against my chest. I tightened my arms around her, burying my face in her hair and breathing in the scent of her, while moving us gently from side to side.

Her soft hands combed through my hair and stroked the back of my neck as she moved seductively against me, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. When she turned around and pressed her back to my chest, I pushed the locks of hair that had come astray from her knot, to one side and pressed my lips to her neck. I could feel the thrumming of her pulse under my lips and sucked lightly on her sweet skin, while she moaned and tilted her neck to give me more access. I took the opportunity to place more soft kisses, along the dip of her shoulder and up to the lobe of her ear.

"God, you're beautiful," I whispered, against her skin. "So beautiful."

She turned around slowly and stood up on her toes to press a slow, loving kiss to my lips. "I-" She paused for a beat. "I'm so glad we found each other, Edward. Being with you... it's more than I could ever have imagined."

"You're everything I have ever wanted," I whispered. Leaning down, I kissed her forehead and sent up a silent prayer, thanking whatever higher powers there might be for sending Bella back into my life.

It was an hour later that we made our way out of the club. Rose and Alice were two _very_ happy drunks. Not wanting to spoil the good mood, I didn't bring up the conversation with Jasper, putting it off until tomorrow.

On the way back, Bella asked me once again about what had been bothering me during dinner and I hesitated for a moment, but eventually ended up telling her everything.

"So, you think- you think Jasper is lying to Alice?" she asked me, worried for her friend.

"I don't know," I muttered. "I am not sure, Bella. Maybe he really has changed, or wants to change. We should give him the benefit of the doubt here."

She eyed me speculatively for a few seconds, and sighed. "Okay, fine. I won't say anything to Alice right now, but you have to promise me that you'll talk to him soon. If he's- If he doesn't-"

"I promise. I'll talk to him and make sure he knows that he can't hurt Alice. Just give me time till tomorrow."

"Okay." She breathed deeply. "Who knows, maybe he _has_ told her everything about his past… habits. Maybe she knows and they've decided to give this a chance. Maybe he really is trying to change."

Only one question nagged at me.

 _If everything Bella said were true, why would they keep it a secret for all this time?_

 _I didn't believe the "surprise" bullshit. Not for a second._

Out loud, I just said, "I hope so, Bella. I hope so."

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 **A/N- Kudos to Eliza41 and dreamiedreamer for guessing the upcoming twist right :) I'm a little relieved that everyone else didn't see it coming, lol! Or maybe you did?  
**

 **What do you think about Rosalie? And A and J- what's up with them? Last but not the least, what about the little dirty dancing for our favorite couple?**

 **Hope you have a relaxing weekend!**

 **Until next time.**

 **~ForeverRobssesed**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hello :) Hope you all had a nice week!**

 **Have you checked out the first batch of entries for the Tricks or Treats contest? You can find the link in my favorite authors list. Yep, I'm participating ;) Don't forget to leave the authors some encouraging words!**

 **On with the chapter now... Happy reading x**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 14**

"So you'll talk to him now?" Bella asked me anxiously, as I walked into the hospital on Monday morning, two days after Rosalie's party. I hadn't been able to get hold of Jasper yesterday, so I had yet to speak to him about Alice.

"Yeah, that's the plan. His shift starts soon, so he should be here any minute now."

"I'm sorry, Edward, for getting you in the middle of this. I just don't know what else to do." She sounded distraught and I hated it. "You should have heard Alice go on and on about Jasper after you dropped me off. Now that she's allowed to tell me, she just couldn't stop gushing about him."

"Wait," I interrupted. "Allowed?"

"Yeah, that's the word she used," Bella told me. "I don't think she meant to, because she kept giggling and shushing me. With the amount of wine in her system, she had absolutely no control over what she was saying."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Anyway, the point is that she is already way too invested in this relationship and if there is any chance that Jasper might not feel the same… I can't just stand by and let my friend get hurt, Edward."

The memory of Alice ripping me a new one based on just her hunch that I'd hurt Bella passed through my mind and I smiled ruefully, even though she couldn't see me through the phone.

"Don't worry. I'll-" I broke off when I saw Jasper enter. "I gotta go. He's here." I hung up after a quick goodbye.

He saw me and sighed, dropping his bag into the cabinet. "I knew you'd be here."

"Jas… What's going on?"

"I thought we'd cleared that up at the party. I'm dating Alice Brandon. Do I need your permission for that, Edward?" His demeanor shifted from defeated to angry so suddenly that I was taken aback.

"You don't do this, Jasper. You don't date," I pointed out. "All you want from women is one night, and once you get that, you leave them hanging without any regrets. That is why I am asking you what you are doing with Alice." My temper would do me no good here, so I took a deep breath to rein it in. "She's Bella's closest friend, and-"

"There. There it is." He pointed a finger at me. "You are here because you're worried that if I can't make it work with Alice, she might poison Bella's mind against me and by association- you. You are not here because you are concerned about Alice. You are here because you are selfish and only worried about yourself," he shouted.

I stood there, stunned into silence. A few minutes passed. The only sounds in the room were the ticking of the clock, and Jasper's agitated, shallow breaths. I took a few steps toward the door, but, I stopped before touching the handle.

I looked back at Jasper. He was sitting on a chair, with his head bent low in a defeated posture.

 _I couldn't give up, not now._

I turned and pulled up a chair in front of him.

"Jasper, I am not going to lie to you. I'll admit that I was concerned about Bella, but that was not my main intention. I- _We_ are worried about Alice _and_ worried about you. I believe I can say this to you because you're my _friend._ That means that we can share our thoughts with each other. You can talk to me, Jasper," I said earnestly, tipping my head to meet his eyes.

He stayed in the same posture, stubbornly still for so long that I almost gave up hope of him opening up to me. Then suddenly, his gruff voice broke the silence.

"This comes easy to you, Edward, but committing to someone is… It frightens me to my bones." He looked up at me in despair. "Alice is… Alice is a breath of fresh air in my life. She's beautiful, honest and fiercely loyal. Most importantly, she's… a happy person, Edward. She's always so optimistic and I lost that quality a long, long time ago. I couldn't stop thinking about her and texted her out of the blue, but-" he broke off, shaking his head guiltily. "At the time, I was just curious about her. Now, a month later, she has slowly worked her way into my life, into my heart, and it… terrifies me."

"So, you want to do this, then? Be in a relationship with her?" I asked, making my voice carefully neutral.

"I don't know. I just don't know what the hell I want anymore," he muttered.

"Does she know about Maria?"

"What about Maria?" He sulked.

"You were dating her, Jasper. Or have you two broken up?"

"Maria and I were not dating. We were just… well, I guess you could call us _friends with benefits_." He motioned with air quotes as he used the clichéd phrase.

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "Then, does Maria know that it's over between the two of you? Now that you're seeing Alice."

"I don't owe her an explanation. We never said anything about being exclusive."

 _This was going nowhere._

"That night, Alice told Bella that she was not, uh-" I took a moment to think, but there was no way to sugarcoat this. "-that she wasn't _allowed_ to talk about you guys earlier."

He groaned. "It's not like that. It was just a joke she made up. I'm not some tyrant. I just told her that I'd like to keep her to myself for a little while. You and Bella were just getting started, and I thought we shouldn't steal your thunder."

"Steal our thunder?" I couldn't help but snicker and Jasper cracked a small smile, shoving me lightly.

"Shut up! That's what I told her and she bought it. I was trying to avoid _this_ conversation, which I fucking knew I wouldn't be able to get out of once the truth came out. I wanted to see where this thing with Alice would go, before I had to subject myself to an intervention by Em and you. Where is he anyway?"

"Oh, he's not on call today. Told me he and Rosalie had to meet someone in Jersey."

"So, the interrogation duty fell on you, huh?" He smirked.

I sighed. "Jasper, we don't mean to interfere in your life. Trust me. I do realize that it's none of my business. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need." I clapped his shoulder once. "I made the mistake of not talking to the woman I love before I made a decision about us and I ended up wasting a year and a half, making the both of us miserable. Don't repeat my mistake. Talk to Alice about your past, and the reasons that made you who you are. Don't let her get blindsided, Jas. She deserves to be with a guy who wants the same things as she does."

"She-she wants me? In a serious way?" he whispered with both hope and doubt warring in his eyes.

"She talked to Bella once they went home on Saturday, without any inhibitions, obviously." I grinned and he rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't ask Bella to divulge the specifics and she wouldn't break Alice's trust like that. What she did tell me was that they stayed up all night talking about you, and that Alice is very happy and kind of smitten. If you're not… if you're not in the same place, you should tell her before it's too late."

He sighed. "I know you're right. I'll think about it, okay? Just… I need a little time, please."

"Okay." I knew that it was the best I was going to get from him at the moment. I saw it in his eyes that he had had enough of this conversation, so I changed the topic. "I need a consult."

"Sure. What's up?"

"The patient is in 2102…"

* * *

After Jasper's consult, we ended up taking the patient to surgery, which lasted several hours. When we finally made our way out of the hospital at four, we were greeted by a pleasant surprise.

Well, two of them, if you wanted to get technical.

Bella and Alice were waiting for us on the benches.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, after kissing Bella hello.

She smirked. "What? You think you're the only one who can pay surprise visits?"

"We were bored. Well, _I_ was bored; Bella could have probably immersed herself in a book, as usual. So, I dragged her out here." Alice tapped her chin thoughtfully, as Jasper slung an arm around her waist. "Actually, it was more like I put forward the idea of coming here to see you guys and she jumped up immediately. That has _never_ happened when I suggested going out somewhere before. I had to practically force her out of the apartment to go to a party."

"Alice!" Bella hissed and I kissed her flushed cheeks.

"Would it help if I said I was just thinking about calling you?" I told her and she forgot her pique, smiling widely. "I would have come over, but I didn't want to disturb you if you were studying."

"God! You guys are sickeningly sweet sometimes. Jasper, take me away from here before they give a sugar coma." She looked at him with adoring eyes.

I turned to Bella and found her watching them closely.

"Sure. Though I have to tell you, you're always in a sugar coma, Alice." Jasper sniggered.

She smacked his head, although he tried to duck and dodge the blow. Before we knew it, the two of them were waving us a hasty goodbye. They took off running and chasing toward the parking lot.

Bella sighed, looking after them with concerned eyes. I took her hand as we walked toward my car, since she had come in Alice's. I relayed to her the conversation I had with Jasper earlier in the day.

"I guess that is all we can hope for," she said, though uncertainty was evident in her voice.

"He's a good guy, Bella," I told her softly. "There are some things in his past that have made him wary of getting too close to someone. I am sure that with the right motivation, as he has in Alice, he can change and become a better guy for her. That's all we can do, you know. We shouldn't interfere in their lives any further. They're both mature adults; they can figure this out."

"You are right." She exhaled in a gush. "It's just hard for me, you know. Alice has always looked out for me, and I don't know how to just…" She sighed.

"Alice gave me the benefit of the doubt," I pointed out. "That worked out well, don't you think?"

She pursed her lips. "I guess. Fine, I'll give him some time, but he better tell her soon."

I hummed in agreement and we dropped the matter, for the time being, at least. Searching for a change in subject, my eyes fell on the small duffel bag that she had placed near her feet.

"What's in there?"

"Oh, my pajamas. Alice said she'd like to spend some, uh, private time with Jasper at our apartment, so I thought I could sleep over at your place. That's okay, right?" For a moment, I thought that there was a speculative gleam in her eyes, but didn't ponder over it.

 _Like I'd ever say no to that request._

"Yeah, of course."

Once at my condo, we carried out an inventory of the pantry. Eventually, Bella decided to make subs, while I pulled out a bottle of her beloved ginger ale.

 _Yeah, that was one thing I never failed to stock up in the fridge._

We parked ourselves in the living room with our food and drinks, but didn't turn on the TV. Instead, we talked about the highlights of our day.

"Katie came in for her post-op check-up today."

"Yeah? How is she doing?" she asked eagerly.

"She's doing great. The scar is healing well, and her latest scans showed no signs of recurrence. She was asking about you," I added with a grin.

"Me?"

I nodded. "Well, actually she asked me where my Princess Belle was. I think we can safely assume that she meant you."

She smiled. "What did you tell her?"

"I thought about telling her that you were out fighting the bad guys, of course. I tried to think of the name of the villain in that film, but I had no clue whatsoever. So, I told her that you had to attend some meeting which would decide the kingdom's fate. You know what she said in response to that? She scowled at me and said that I should have been there with you to support you."

Bella laughed, just after taking a sip of her drink. Her hand came up to rub at her nose as she winced. "Gah! It tickles!"

"Bubbles?" I snickered as she nodded jerkily.

"What happened next?"

"I promised that after I was done with her, I would go straight to the palace." I shrugged. "What else could I say? Oh, and she also said that she won't tell anyone at school about meeting you. She didn't want to blow your cover in the normal world."

"She's such a sweet little girl. To think that she came so close to-" she broke off with a sad grimace.

"She's fine, now, Bella. That's all that matters." I cupped her face and she nodded, leaning into my palm. "Tell me about you. Did you dream about princesses and castles when you were little?"

"Of course!" Her face brightened. "Nana used to bring me all sorts of Disney Princess goodies. I even had a tiara. She took hundreds of pictures of me in the all the different get-ups, sash and gloves and all."

I grinned. "Really? Where can we find those albums?"

"I grabbed them when I was leaving for Forks. I think they must be lying in some corner of Charlie's home. Now, it's your turn to spill. You _had_ to have had a phase when you were a kid."

I thought back for a moment. "I refused to speak to anyone without imitating Donald Duck's voice for two weeks. Does that count?"

Her eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Uh-huh. I quacked my way through the beginning of kindergarten. At first, everyone thought it was cute, because I had the impression perfect. My Dad took videos and stuff. Then, the teachers were fed up and threatened to kick me out. My mom was forced to resort to drastic measures, like serving me asparagus and beans until I requested her, in my normal voice, to get me something else."

"How long did it take you to crack?"

"Two meals," I said with a sheepish shrug.

"Aww, you must have been so cute!" She laughed and pinched my cheek. "Has Emmett gotten a chance to see those videos?"

Honest to God, I shuddered at the thought, and Bella fell into a new bout of chuckles.

"Alright, giggly girl," I said, once we had finished eating. I stood and collected our plates. "I'll clean this up."

"Let me help."

"No, it's fine. You cooked, I'll clean."

"Sounds like a logical plan." She pulled me in for a kiss. "While you do that, I am gonna go change."

"Okay."

She grabbed her overnight bag and made her way into my bedroom.

Several minutes later, I finished loading the dishwasher, wiped my hands with a napkin and made my way out of the kitchen. Bella had still not come out, making me wonder if she had trouble finding something. I thought about yelling for her, but decided against it.

I pressed my ear against the bedroom door. I could distinctly make out the sound of Bella muttering to herself, though the volume was too low for me to figure out the words.

I knocked once. "Bella? Is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay."

Her voice sounded a little different, maybe nervous, but I dismissed it as my imagination.

With a sigh, I plopped down on the couch. It was only eight in the evening, but the grueling surgery today had drained me, and I couldn't wait to get into the bed for a good night's sleep.

 _With Bella._

The Jasper and Alice situation still nagged at the back of my mind. Jasper's belligerent tone as he called me selfish still resonated in the recesses of my mind. Was he right? Was it true that all I was concerned about was the effect their failed relationship could have on Bella and me?

My thoughts ran around in circles until I was thoroughly frustrated. I needed to take my own advice and let this go. I'd said my piece to Jasper, now whether or not he acts on my advice is for him to decide. We would just have to wait and see.

The soft sound of footsteps padding toward me made me look up. My mind went blank, my mouth fell open and the proverbial cat caught my tongue when I looked at Bella standing shyly before me.

We'd spent a few nights together, but they had never been planned, and as a result, she usually ended up wearing something of mine to sleep in.

Tonight was different.

She stood before me wearing a simple, white tank top, the straps of which were so thin, that they didn't hide an inch of the creamy skin of her delicate shoulders. One look made it pretty obvious that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. With it, she wore a pair of pink shorts that reached up to the middle of her thighs. She had slung up her hair in a loose ponytail, leaving the graceful dip of her neck deliciously bare for my devouring eyes.

One side of her mouth lifted in a smug smile as I gawked at her, though her teeth sunk down on her lower lip to stifle it.

She held out a hand. Without another thought, I rose from my seat and took two steps forward, wrapping my arms around her and bringing her flush to my body.

"Like what you see?" she breathed, as I touched my forehead to hers.

My only response was to claim her lips in a passionate kiss, my tongue immediately sliding into her mouth and rubbing against hers. She responded with equal fervor, fisting her hands in my hair and tugging until there was not a hairbreadth of space between us.

She moaned in protest when I broke away for a moment, to lift her up and walk us into my room. Her lips pressed small kisses along the length of my jaw and I had to use all my concentration to get us inside and on my bed.

She quickly settled onto my lap and wasted no time in pressing her mouth back to mine.

My hands spread over her the sliver of bare skin on the small of her back where her top had ridden up. Ever so slowly, I inched my way under the cloth, stroking her warm skin as she gasped into my mouth. I could have cried in relief, when she didn't stop me. She buried her face into the slope of my neck and sighed when I moved my hands up, bringing the shirt with me.

"May I?" I whispered. My voice was so thick with longing that I could barely recognize it.

"Yes." Her answer was unmistakable, but her voice shook, making me pull away to look into her eyes.

What I saw there was a hint of apprehension, but there was also desire.

"You sure?" I murmured, caressing her flushed cheek.

"Yes. I want this," she said, more strongly this time and nodded with a small smile. There was no hint of hesitation in her eyes.

My hands shook slightly as I placed them back where they were. For a moment, I just stroked her bare skin, and took first one lip of hers between mine, and then the other. Still kissing her, I started my circuit again, lifting her top inch by inch and running my hands over the delectable skin that was newly exposed to me.

When I reached the bottom of her breasts, she lifted her hands and aided me in removing it all the way. She took in a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes, as I looked at her for the first time.

Cupping her face in my hands, I kissed one eyelid and then the other, until she met my gaze.

"You're beautiful, Bella," I whispered earnestly, willing her to understand the depth of my feelings and my honesty. The shroud of doubt slowly fell away from her features as a warm blush spread over her face and neck. I smiled and watched her lips pull up in return.

My hands reached down to cup her breasts. She gasped as I stroked her nipples with my thumbs and crashed her lips onto mine.

Our mouths moved in sync, while my hands continued stroking and tugging at those beautiful rosy buds. Her head fell back and she moaned in pleasure, swiveling her hips against my hardness and sending a current down my spine.

Some little part of my lust-addled mind realized that my phone was ringing. One look at the breath-taking girl in my arms silenced that part immediately and I turned my attention back to where it was rightfully supposed to be.

Her neck was arched out before me, so I pressed my lips against it, sucking and nipping at the sensitive skin. She writhed on my lap, instinctively setting up a rhythm that had me struggling to hold back my release in no time.

I kissed the top of her breasts, before moving down to her nipples. I took one into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it and devouring the taste and scent of her. I gave the other one my equal attention, lavishing them with kisses and nips as her shaking hands reached down to unbutton my shirt.

Between the two of us, we managed to get it off in no more than three seconds. Our synchronous groans intermingled in the air as our naked chests pressed together for the first time. The feel of her hard nipples brushing against my skin had me buck up against her with force, and she responded eagerly, pressing an open-mouthed kiss on the skin of my neck.

My mouth gravitated back to her breasts, suckling that aching nipple and gently squeezing the other one in my palm. The rocking of her hips grew frenzied as her muscles began to tense and she whimpered my name. My breathing turned staccato as I felt the telltale coil of tension form in the pit of my abdomen.

Realizing that she needed something more, I wrapped my teeth around a nipple and tugged slightly. That pushed her right over the edge. Bella moaned louder than ever as I felt her body tremble in my arms, waves of pleasure coursing through her. Only then, did I allow myself to let go, hissing through my clenched teeth as the overwhelming release pulsed through me.

My head fell into the curve of her shoulder and I placed soft kisses there as I gradually came down from the high. Bella's arms were limp around me, but I could feel the smile on her lips from where her face was buried against my neck.

"Wow," she whispered, and I almost sagged in relief.

 _She was fine._

"I have no idea where the hell that came from," she continued.

"Oh, you don't, huh? So, the whole "getting your own pajamas" and that too, sexy ones, was just a coincidence?"

When she pulled back, a satisfied look was etched on her face. "Of course. You think I planned to seduce you?" She smirked.

"You might be a virgin, sweetheart, but you are certainly not as innocent as you appear to be." She giggled and I shifted back until I was leaning against the headboard and keeping her firmly in my lap. "I sure do hope there's more where that came from, though."

She blushed and ducked her head, tucking it back against my chest, while I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her.

 _Devious one moment, shy the next… My Bella was a dichotomy._

 _And I wouldn't have her any other way._

We took a moment to clean up. I changed out of the jeans into my sweatpants. When Bella returned from the washroom, I opened my arms and she snuggled into them easily.

I stroked along the length of her arm that was wrapped around my waist as she told me that Alice _might_ have had a role to play in choosing her attire that had me eating out of her hands in no time.

She was silent for a beat, and then continued speaking in a low, tentative voice. "I know you were slightly hesitant about making the first move to take… um, our, um physical relationship forward. Alice gave me a little pep talk the essence of which was that even though I might not have any experience in this department, this was the 21st century; I should take the first step and show you what I want. Was it… okay for you?"

I lifted her chin with a gentle finger and looked into her beautiful, solemn eyes. "Okay? I cannot believe you're asking me that. It was amazing, Bella. _You_ were amazing and gorgeous and sexy and stunning and-"

She halted any further superlatives by placing a hand over my lips. "Okay," she said in between her giggles. "I get the point and I'm glad you think so. I can be real mature about things like my future and my career, but turns out that if a guy like you comes around, I can happily act like the silly teenage girl that I am. I told Alice she had got to cut me some slack here. I have zero experience with guys. I couldn't be expected to be extremely self-assured, could I?"

I kissed her palm. "You are perfect the way you are."

The sound of the doorbell in the still, peaceful silence of the night interrupted our moment.

"Who the hell could that be?" I muttered. I grabbed my discarded shirt from the floor and put it on as I walked out to the living room.

I didn't even look through the peephole, just twisted the deadbolt and opened the door quickly to give whoever was on the other side a piece of my mind.

That didn't work out as planned.

Instead, I felt the breath being knocked out of me as I was grabbed by the collar and pushed up against the wall.

"Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you take advantage of my daughter?" the man yelled in my face.

My mind vaguely registered the presence of my parents nearby as I struggled to catch my breath, and looked into the blazing eyes of Charlie Swan.

* * *

 **A/N: So... yeah. That happened.**

 **Anyone out there who enjoys drabble-ish fics? I recently started posting one. It's halfway done and I update 2-3 chapters daily. Check it out if you're so inclined.**

 **See you next week!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey there! Thank you for your reviews for the last chapter. We've now crossed 300! Yay!  
** **Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa... Thanks so much for all your help, ladies.**

 **Most of you were right on target with your guesses! I grinned each time I read your passionate comments about a certain someone who might have tattled to Charlie.**

 **Happy reading xx**

* * *

"Dad!" Bella yelled, rushing into the room. "Let him go!"

It caused Charlie to step away from me so swiftly, as though he'd been burned. I turned to see my parents place their bags against the wall. They came to stand by my side, while I looked on, confounded at the turn of events.

 _What the hell was going on? What were they doing in New York?_

"You're here?" Charlie looked at her in disbelief.

"Uh yeah," she mumbled, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Thankfully, she'd changed into the one that she had worn to school. If she came out in the one that had led to our activities prior to our parents' arrival… I didn't even want to imagine Charlie's reaction if he saw that. "Wait… if you didn't know I was here, then why did you come?"

"I came here to get some answers from _him_ ," he pointed at me. "I got a call from a very concerned Jacob that you-"

"Oh for the love of God!" Bella threw up her hands and groaned.

Charlie was not deterred. "He was right, wasn't he? I tried and tried to convince myself throughout the flight that he was mistaken and here I see you in his house at this time of the night, which-"

"You're telling me that you flew across the country just because Jacob called and ranted about Edward and me? I can't even- that's ridiculous, Dad!"

"Now, you listen to me-"

Mom stepped forward and interjected. "Charlie, Bella, please. Let us all take a deep breath, calm down and talk this out. Yelling at each other is not going to serve any purpose. Bella, would you come with me, dear?"

I looked on, still bewildered, as Mom and Bella made their way into the kitchen. One minute, I had my girlfriend writhing and moaning in my arms and the next moment, her father had pinned me to the wall. Dad nudged me toward the couch and gently pushed me down on it, probably recognizing that I owed my state of immobilization to the utter shock that swamped my limbic system at seeing all of them here. His request to Charlie to take a seat was waved away. The fuming father just threw me a scowl and continued pacing across the carpet of my living room.

Bella returned with a glass of water and offered it to me, as my Mom did the same for the others. I took it as though it was the answer to all prayers and downed it in single gulp. I shot her a grateful look, and she returned it with a tentative smile. She sat down beside me and my eyes instinctively flew to Charlie, and right on cue, he glared back.

A loaded, tense silence suffocated the atmosphere in the room and I finally found my voice.

"Mom, Dad, what are you guys doing here?" I figured that was as good a place to start as any.

My parents exchanged a look before Mom answered my query. "We wanted to surprise you. We hadn't seen you for over a year, Edward. When you didn't come home for Christmas, I had Carlisle promise me that as soon as he could get a few free days, we'd come visit you." She hesitated before continuing. "We tried to call you before coming over, but, uh, there was no reply on your cell. Maybe you silenced it?" She looked at me pointedly and I quickly took the hint.

Bella shifted beside me, and without thinking, I grabbed her hand. The last thing we needed at this point was her father wondering about why I had not been available to receive their phone call.

"Yeah, yeah. I must have forgotten to turn the ringer on."

Mom nodded. "Right. So, we came up to the lobby, and your doorman recognized us and buzzed us in."

"That doesn't explain how you landed here, Dad," Bella piped up from beside me.

Charlie stopped his manic pacing and sat down with a growl. "We happened to be on the same flight," he muttered.

"It was a _very_ long flight," Dad leaned in and whispered to me. His voice was not low enough because Mom's glare had him retreating without another word.

"Charlie said he was informed that you two were, uh,-"

Mom trailed off helplessly and Charlie interjected, "Having an affair?"

"Are you serious with this? Affair? This isn't an affair, Dad. Edward and I are in a relationship. Now, I'm sorry you had to hear it through Jacob Black, but, I would have told you soon, if you hadn't come charging in here like this."

"Relationship?" Charlie almost sneered. "With a man twice your age?"

"He's not twice my age! He's thirty-four." Bella grumbled.

"Right," her father replied with an eye-roll. "Because that is so much better." He turned to me and I steeled myself to meet his stony gaze. "I trusted you to take care of her and the next thing I hear is that you have deluded my young daughter into believing that she feels something for you, when it's just-"

"Dad, please," Bella interrupted. "I'm not a little girl and Edward did not _delude_ me into anything."

"Maybe," my father spoke in a mild tone, which was in sharp contrast to the almost overwhelming tension that saturated the room. "Maybe we should give Bella and Charlie a little privacy."

I was about to protest- I needed to own up to my actions and respond to Charlie's accusations- but Bella thwarted my plans by squeezing my hand. "I think that's a good idea," she told me.

"Bella," I said in a low voice.

"Let me talk to him. I should tell him the truth and sort out the matter regarding Jacob. I know he'll want to talk to you too, but let me smooth things over first."

I couldn't say no to the entreaty in her eyes. "Okay," I sighed in defeat.

Without another word, I led my parents into the guest room. Once we'd situated ourselves, I began talking before they could voice the questions.

I started with the summer in Forks, the friendship I developed with Bella and eventually told them about the day in the meadow.

"That's why you left so suddenly?" Mom whispered, realization flashing in her eyes. "Oh, Edward. Why didn't you say something? You could have talked to us."

"Esme, sweetheart." Dad wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let him finish." He looked over at me. "What happened after that, Edward?"

My voice was flat as I conveyed the events that led Bella back into my life. I didn't particularly want to relive the memories of my utter despair while Bella was fighting for her life, but I had no choice. The days following her hospital stay were easier to look back upon. I didn't divulge the specifics- it didn't feel right to discuss our private moments- but I quickly relayed the important details that led us to where we were now.

"So, this is serious, huh?" Dad smiled slightly.

I exhaled in a gush and nodded.

Mom cupped my face in her hands, just like she'd always done since I was a little boy, and looked intently into my eyes. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"I am, Mom. She makes me happier than ever."

"Then, I'm glad that you found each other, honey." She kissed my forehead. "Though, I am very disappointed that you didn't say anything for all this time. You were across the country, all alone and miserable. We could have helped, Edward. That is what families are for."

"I wouldn't know what to say. I mean, a middle-aged man falling for a high school girl? In the eyes of the world, that's got perversion written all over it, Mom," I muttered, raking a hand through my hair in frustration.

She scowled. "I don't care about what the world thinks. I only care about the fact that you were hurting, and there wasn't anything I could do about it."

I placed my hands on hers. "It's not like it's your fault. You didn't know."

"Yes, I didn't." Her mouth flattened into a stern line as she dropped her hands. "You didn't tell me then, and I think I can safely assume that Bella was the patient you didn't want to leave for Christmas?"

I gave her a sheepish grin.

We fell into silence, and I couldn't help but strain to hear something from the direction of the living room. I could hear the murmur of conversation, but could not discern the words, or even the tone of their voices.

"Edward," Dad said, and I frowned at the hesitancy that laced his voice. "You're sure about this, aren't you? About Bella? Now, wait, don't get defensive. I am only asking you this because there is a very irate father in your living room, and he _will_ have a hard time accepting that his little girl is now old enough to make her own decisions, especially those that he would not agree with. It is not going to be easy to gain his trust and his approval. That is why I want you to think about your answer carefully."

"She's… she's it for me, Dad," I whispered. "She's not the typical teenage girl, you know that. She never has been. She is strong, kind, warm and so, so beautiful. She astounds me every single day and I consider myself very lucky to be a part of her life. She is what I want, Dad. She walked into my life when I wasn't even looking for her, and carved a perpetual place for herself in my heart. That's all there is to it."

A slow smile spread across my father's lips. "Well then. That sounds about right to me, son." He reached out to clap my shoulder. "Let us hope it is enough to persuade Chief Swan."

"That's the plan, Dad."

A few minutes passed, and then a soft knock sounded at the door. I almost flew across the room to open it.

"Hey," Bella whispered. "He wants to talk to you. Alone."

"Okay." I turned to my parents, who were giving me encouraging smiles, and took a step toward the living room.

Bella grabbed my wrist to stop me. She came to stand before me and before I knew it, her lips were on mine, unrelenting and desperate.

"I just want you to know that I won't be swayed by what he says," she told me in a resolute, earnest voice. "He doesn't have to understand or accept our feelings for them to be validated. I know what I feel for you and I know that it won't change based on my father's prejudice."

Her impassioned words empowered me more than anything else could have and I smiled in gratitude, kissing her tenderly.

"But, it would be nice to have his seal of approval, right?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She pouted adorably, but nodded.

"I will do my utmost to make him believe that I am worthy of you. First, I should know, how much did you tell him?"

"I told him that we got together only after the accident, but that we had feelings for each other since we met in Forks." She bit her lip. "I didn't mention the kiss, though."

"Wise decision."

"What did, um, your parents say?" she asked me, throwing an apprehensive glance toward the room where they were.

"They're happy for us," I assured her and she exhaled in unbridled relief.

"Really?"

"Really. You've gone through the hard part. Now, it's my turn and meanwhile, you can go and chat with my mother, who is very excited to get to know you."

She smiled and sent me off with a good luck kiss.

I summoned every ounce of determination in my body and trudged ahead.

Charlie turned immediately when I walked in. I noticed that his gaze had lost some of his malevolence. He had been standing by the window, looking out at the deep purple hues of the night sky. He turned back toward the scenery, as he began to speak in an unmistakably unrelenting tone.

"I trusted you to take care of her when she was recovering because I had heard good things about you from your parents, as well as some people at the hospital who were treated by you when you came by in the summer. Never had I imagined that you would end up abusing that trust to get close to Bella and turn her into a phase of your mid-life crisis."

 _Mid-life crisis?_

I breathed deeply to compose my voice. "With all due respect, Chief Swan, please do not belittle my relationship with Bella by calling it that." He pinned me with his glower, but I kept talking. "What I have with Bella is not just a passing phase or a casual fling. Your daughter has a good head on her shoulders and I ha—"

"You do not have to tell me anything about her. I know my daughter very well."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. What I meant was that Bella is mature enough to recognize that my feelings for her are absolutely genuine and she would never have agreed to give me a chance if she doubted them. I- I love her, Sir."

I don't know exactly what reaction I had expected from him at my words, but all he granted me was an intense, speculative stare. I resisted the urge to fidget. It was exactly what he wanted- a sign of weakness or wavering- and I would not give him that satisfaction.

I met his stare with a composed one of my own and continued. "I love Bella. I fell in love with her during that summer in Forks, but I refused to acknowledge my feelings for her back then because of the very reasons that have made you opposed to us being together now. When she was in high school, our relationship had no future. We were thousands of miles apart and being bound to me then would have only hindered her, not to mention, the social repercussions of dating a man who has over a decade on her."

Charlie pursed his lips. "If you know about everything that could go wrong, why the hell are you with her now? Why do you want to subject her to the pain that you apparently saved her from last year?"

"Because everything _has_ changed. She's no longer a minor, she lives in the same city as I and she has taken the first stride toward the career she wants. I have not been a firm believer in fate and its tactics ever since I walked in on my wife cheating on me, Chief Swan. It was impossible for me, however, to ignore fate's workings when it brought Bella back into my life. When she told me that she had always felt the same for me, even though I left her to squash those very feelings, I just couldn't let her go once again. I couldn't repeat the same mistakes that made us both miserable when all I had to do was take a leap of faith."

With his arms crossed across his chest, Charlie leaned back against the wall, facing me fully. "All that flowery language sounds well and good, but this is the real world, son. Why wouldn't a guy of her own age be better suited for Bella? Someone who has known her since childhood, someone who has always been a good friend and someone she can trust-"

"Someone like Jacob Black?" I suggested and he exhaled sharply. "He is the guy who camped out in front of Bella's apartment even though she repeatedly refused to go out with him and refused to give up until she was forced to agree to his demands," I pointed out, and the frown on his face told me that it was the first time he had heard of this. "He is also the guy, who yelled and cursed at her and embarrassed her in public for having refused him to be with me, simply because he has this notion affixed in his brain that she _belongs_ to him, regardless of her feelings in the matter. Did he not inform you of this incident when he talked to you last?"

Once the words were out, I realized how snide they sounded, but Jacob Black had the tendency to get under my skin and throw me for a loop. It didn't matter much because Charlie was lost in thought, probably pondering the information that Black had not shared with him.

"Sir, Bella does not see Jacob as anything more than a friend. In the last few days, he has hounded her repeatedly about why she won't accept him, and she is fed up with his relentless pursuit." I paused for a moment. "As far as anyone else of Bella's age is concerned, maybe you are right. I am not blind to our age difference, but I am willing to do anything it takes to make this work. I realize that she is just starting out in life, and I have no intention whatsoever of rushing her into anything. When Bella shared the story of her Nana with me, there was fierce determination in her eyes, immeasurable love in her voice and the willingness to do whatever it takes to carry on her legacy. That is the girl I fell in love with. I won't ever hold her back. I want to be by her side- supporting her, encouraging her, guiding her, and loving her- as she fulfils her dreams."

"She told you about Marie- I mean, her Nana?"

"She did. It was in Forks, on the day of her death anniversary."

"Hmmm."

That was all he said, while his eyes roamed around the room, and settled back on me. They were the same deep shade of brown as Bella's, the only difference being that I could not read the emotion in his eyes at all.

It was the end of our conversation for the night. The persistent frown on Charlie's brow and the set of his jaw indicated that he had a lot brewing in his mind. Whether or not it would work out in my favor remained to be seen.

The sound of bare footsteps announced Bella's arrival about five seconds before she appeared.

"Everything… okay, here?" Her gaze flickered between her father and me uncertainly, finally settling on me.

I smiled as reassuringly as I could and it had the desired effect. Her eyes softened considerably before she turned to Charlie.

"It has been a long day. I think we should get some rest," he said. "Carlisle and Esme must be worn out from the journey too."

"I told them to go ahead and catch up on some sleep and got them settled in their room." She looked to me, as if to ask if that was okay, so I nodded.

"We should get going," Charlie said, making a move toward the door.

"Where-uh, where are you going?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I thought I could drop you at your dorm, and I'd stay at a nearby hotel."

Bella threw me a glance that screamed "Help me!" but I shrugged weakly.

 _What could I say? Handling her father was her department._

"Alice, um, Alice has a friend over at our apartment. We can't go there," she managed to stutter.

"A friend?"

"Yes."

The father and daughter duo were engaged in a stare-off, trying to read each other's minds while I stood to one side, watching like a spectator in a tennis match.

Finally, Charlie sighed and shook his head, muttering something about the newer generation. If the tone of his voice was any indication, they were not good things.

Bella looked over at me pointedly, so I chimed in. "You could stay here?" I posed it like a question. "You can take the other guest room, Charlie."

"If you're sure?" he questioned.

"Positive."

He nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate it." He picked up his bag, declining my help. "Where will you be sleeping, Bella?"

I knew, _I knew_ , she was going to say something inappropriate with the way her eyes narrowed.

My intuition was proven right, when she lifted her chin and replied a tad defiantly, "In Edward's room."

"Yeah, and I'll take the couch here," I said immediately, before the pulsating vein on Charlie's forehead burst. "It has a foldable bed underneath the seats, so… yeah."

Bella's eyes snapped toward me, and I silenced her protest with a death glare.

Charlie nodded once, and left the room without another word. Bella followed and guided him.

I fell on to the couch and blew out a huge gush of air. My hands rubbed over my face as I groaned. It had been a long, long day. The conversation with Jasper seemed so far away as if it had been in another lifetime. I recollected the thought I had two hours ago, at this very place, about getting comfy under the covers on my bed with Bella in my arms.

Instead, I had now been delegated to the couch in my living room, with Bella in the same house and yet unattainable to me. My parents were sleeping down the hall, and the room next to the library now housed Bella's father.

 _How the hell did that happen?_

I was shocked when a bark of laughter slipped out from my chest at the sheer absurdity of the entire situation.

Well, it _had_ happened and all I could do now was try to get a good night's sleep, so that I could wake up refreshed and ready to fire on all engines to face Chief Swan again tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, there you have it! What do you think? Did Edward make himself clear enough? The ball is in Charlie's court now ;)**

 **On a side note, I had a couple of you tell me that you'd like to wait to read Curveball until after it's complete, and now it is finished. It has been nominated for the Fic Of The Month for September over at Twifanfictionrecs dot com.**

 **It is up against some SPECTACULAR fics, so go leave a vote for the underdog, won't you? You can vote once per day throughout this month.**

 **Thanks for reading and I'll see you next weekend!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Well, you all reached a consensus regarding Jacob quite easily, lol! Seems like I might have to do an outtake about Charlie's talk with him. We'll see. Any other outtakes you would like to read? Let me know.**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 returned this chapter to me in just a few hours! She's awesome that way.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

"Edward."

Her voice was low and soft and my whispered name lingered in the air around us. I held out my arms without opening my eyes. Her sweet, familiar scent engulfed me like a comforting blanket as she quickly lay down beside me. I placed my head on her chest and her arms came up to wrap around my torso.

"You're trying to get me killed," I mumbled against her shirt, which made her giggle. "What? It's no laughing matter. Your dad is a cop; he's licensed to kill. He has a gun."

"He is the sheriff of _Forks_ , Edward, not James Bond," Bella said lightly. "That gun has not seen the light of the day in over a decade. Besides, he flew here, so, it's not like he has it on him now."

I had to smile. "I remember making the same argument in my mind when I saw him in your room at the hospital."

"Wise minds," she remarked, raking her fingers through my hair and gently massaging my scalp.

"That feels heavenly," I sighed, as the tension drained bit by bit from by body with every stroke of her fingers. "You know you can't stay for long, though. We can't have Charlie see you here."

"I'm a big girl," she muttered and I could hear the petulant pout in her voice.

"We're getting him to understand that, Bella, but I'd rather he adjusted to the idea _slowly_ , so that he is more receptive to it."

"Yeah, I get it," she admitted. "How did your talk with him go?"

I reflected over the conversation for a few seconds before answering. "I said what I had to. I told him that this was not a fling, explained that my feelings for you are real and that until you order me away, I am not going anywhere. Oh, and I mentioned Jacob's recent behavior, which he conveniently omitted during his talk to Charlie."

"I still can't believe Jacob had the nerve to go behind my back and report to Charlie as though I have committed some crime!" she grumbled. "He's such an ass."

"He has not dealt well with the idea of losing you, to put it mildly."

"But that's the thing, Edward. He never had me, at least, not in the sense he is implying."

I looked up at her troubled face and gently smoothed the furrows on her forehead. "He doesn't want to believe that. Anyway, Charlie was not happy after hearing about it, so, I'm sure he'd be happy to knock some sense into Jacob and deal with him. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

She sighed. The hand in my hair pushed it down, so I placed my head back in its earlier place. Her collarbone was right before me, so I pressed my lips to it, simply because I finally could.

"If you keep that up, I will not be going anywhere for a long, long time," she warned me.

I pulled away with an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, okay."

"I meant to say, your parents have been really sweet and understanding, Edward. Their acceptance means a lot to me," she told me with a smile, and I echoed it.

"I'm glad."

A moment passed in comfortable silence while we were lost in our respective thoughts.

"You know something? I want to go back to the time where our only concern was whether or not Jasper confesses his past to Alice," she said suddenly.

I chuckled. "Yes, those were simpler times." I pondered over my thoughts before voicing them. "Maybe… maybe it was a good thing."

"What was?"

"That Jacob called Charlie."

" _How_ was it a good thing?" I could hear the surprise that colored her voice.

"It, kind of, forced our hand, you know? We had no choice, but to come clean in front of our parents. We knew that Charlie wouldn't accept our relationship in the blink of an eye, Bella. We anticipated it to be difficult, and that is why we probably would have avoided telling him for quite a while. If we waited too long, he would have been upset about that too, and it would look like we felt… I don't know the right word… guilty? Yeah, guilty enough that we hid it from him."

"You're making far too much sense for this time of the night," she joked.

I shrugged. "I'm sorry?"

She laughed once. "No, you're right. I agree. Anyway, what's done is done. I guess I _am_ glad to have this off my back. Whatever he decides, it's up to him. Our job was telling him and that is done."

I hummed in agreement. We stayed like that, holding each other, for a little while longer, but eventually, Bella made her way back into the room after a quick good night kiss. We kept it chaste, as though by a silent mutual understanding- no tongue, and certainly no wandering hands.

I closed my eyes, and tried to push all the… excitement of the day to the back of my mind so that I could find enough peace to slip into a deep slumber. I had a long, busy shift ahead of me tomorrow and I really needed that bit of rest.

The sunlight filtered in through the windows as I woke up. Unfortunately, the heat on my skin was not what had roused me from my sleep. It was the beeping of my cell phone.

I stretched my arm out and grabbed it from the side table. A quick look at the time through my bleary gaze had me groaning in frustration. It was barely 6 a.m. and I was being called in to the hospital because victims of a mass casualty were going to be brought in.

I shot out quick texts to Bella and my mother so that they wouldn't look for me when they woke up. Jumping in and out of the shower took me no more than ten minutes, after which I tiptoed into my room in search of some clothes. Bella was sleeping peacefully, rolled on to her side, and she was clutching my pillow in her hands. The morning was proving to be a chilly one, so I tucked the covers more securely around her.

I couldn't resist placing a feather-light kiss against the wrinkles on her sleep-addled cheek and one side of her mouth pulled up into a small smile. Fortunately, she didn't stir. I quickly threw on my jeans and a shirt and made my way out of the house, foregoing breakfast.

Soon enough, I was at the hospital, gowned and ready to receive the multiple ambulances arriving into the bay. I'd been told that the ten patients coming in were employees of a 24-hr call center injured due to a fire, which had also caused parts of the roof to collapse. There were bound to be burns as well as head injuries, so the plastic surgeons and I stood outside, while Jasper was supervising the trauma rooms' setup inside.

The EMTs got out and narrated the patient's vitals. I walked in with the patient assigned to me first. Fortunately, the man did not seem to have anything more than a concussion, so, I sent him off for a CT to confirm and asked the nurse to find me when the results were ready, before moving on to the next one.

"Dr. Cullen!" I looked across the room and realized that it was Maria's frantic voice calling my name.

I rushed to her side.

"This is Hannah Brooks, 34 years old and thirty-two weeks pregnant. I was doing an ultrasound and she was talking to me, then she suddenly stopped speaking and-" Maria's eyes were frantic and her hands shook as she held the wand.

"Okay, let me take a look." I pulled out my small flashlight and checked the reactivity of her pupils. "Hannah? Hannah, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand or blink if you can understand me." I took her hand in mine, and she gave the faintest of squeezes. Her pupillary response was not encouraging.

All of a sudden, Hannah's head fell back and her body jerked violently. I tried to hold her still and secure an airway, but I needed another set of hands.

"Maria!" I yelled, because she seemed to have fallen into a stupor, while staring in horror at the convulsing woman in my arms. "Maria, I need you to push diazepam now!"

Jasper heard the commotion and came running. "How can I help?"

He realized what was happening, and quickly moved Maria out of the way, and injected the sedative as I'd requested.

I looked at the wildly beeping monitor. "BP's sky-rocketing. We need to get this baby out _right now_."

I turned up the bars of the gurney, and together, we started rolling it toward the elevator.

"Page OB," I ordered a nurse on the way. "Stat."

"Right away, doctor." She scurried immediately.

Ten minutes later, I had scrubbed in and was waiting for the gynecologist to finish delivering the baby, so that I could go in and do my job. However, we all knew that it was going to be touch and go with the mother. As soon as she gave me the nod, I opened up the skull and found exactly what I suspected- an intracranial bleed.

I had to act extremely quickly if I had any hope of saving this woman, so that she could get a chance to see her little baby.

In the other corner of the OR, I heard the doctor working frantically over the baby, who had not cried yet. I pushed those sounds out of my mind immediately. I needed to focus only on the mother.

"Suction please. More. _More_ ," I muttered to Howard, who was assisting me. "Okay, good. Hang another unit. We are going to be here a while."

* * *

I walked out of the OR hours later. I stopped outside the door, and stood there leaning against the wall. With my head tilted back and my eyes closed, I took the first calming, deep breath I had a chance to enjoy since I'd been called in the morning.

"How- How is she?" Maria's desperate voice broke through my moment of peace. "Is she going to be okay?"

I looked at her carefully. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks bore tracks of dried tears. Jasper had always described her as easy-going. I remembered he said that she was the everything-bounces-off-her-like-water-of-a-duck kind of a person. What happened before her eyes today had obviously impacted her seriously, though, and it was the first time I was seeing such an emotional reaction from her.

"I don't know," I said truthfully and she blanched right before my eyes.

"She seemed fine, so, I- I was just checking her baby," she choked out. "She was _fine_. Neuro consult was coming in, but there did not seem to be any rush, because she was chatting with me. She said th-that her husband wanted to name their daughter Destiny or Apple, but she thought these were ridiculous names. He just wanted to act like a celebrity with all their fancy, but senseless names and-" Her body trembled with barely restrained sobs as she got more agitated by the second.

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Maria," I said, my eyes intent on her face to make sure that she was listening. "Listen to me. You could not have predicted this. It was pre-eclampsia and she had suffered an intracranial bleed; they tend to not show any symptoms until they are pretty far gone. You couldn't have done anything else for her. Her brain herniated during surgery. I did my best, but I am not sure if she is going to wake up and whether or not there will be any deficits."

She nodded before looking around anxiously. "Jasper… Have you seen Jasper?"

"No, he didn't scrub in. He was pulled into another surgery, I think."

"Okay," she whispered. "I- I will go look for him."

I watched her retreating form with a sigh.

I was exhausted. All I wanted at this point was to go to Bella, hold her tight in my arms and breathe in her warm, sweet scent. She would run her fingers through my hair and comfort me like nothing else could. I needed to feel her, warm and soft and alive in my arms.

Instead, here I was… watching Maria seek Jasper for comfort, since he obviously hadn't spoken to her about Alice yet. Next, I had to go and inform my patient's husband about the fact that his wife may or may not get a chance to see or hold their newborn daughter.

The utter bleakness of the day made me wish I had never gotten out of the bed this morning.

Once I had delivered the bad news and watched Mr. Brooks break down into gut-wrenching sobs at his wife's bed side, I headed toward the nurses' station, wondering why I'd been paged.

Charlie Swan was there, waiting for me, and in the blink of an eye, the fatigue seeped out of my mind as adrenaline kicked in when I saw the expression he wore. It was same serious, determined one I'd seen so many times on his daughter's face.

"Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" he asked.

I asked the nurse and she indicated that she had nothing else for me. So, I nodded at Charlie and followed him as he led me out of the building and to a nearby bench.

As a full minute passed in loaded silence, I wondered if he was expecting me to say something. I had nothing more to add to my speech from last night, but I wracked my mind nonetheless.

"Bad day?" he guessed.

"You could say that. My patient… I don't know if she's going to make it."

"I- I'm sorry," he said. "To disturb you at work. I didn't realize that you were so busy today. The nurse told me about the unfortunate accident."

"Were you waiting for long? I'm sorry. I just got out of the OR."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I got the address from your father, actually. I needed to speak to you before leaving."

"Leaving?" I parroted blankly.

"I'm heading back to Forks this evening. I have work to do at the station. I left in a hurry and my state of mind was… well, you know how it was. I realize that I _might_ have been a little impulsive in coming here."

The appropriate response to that admission escaped me, so I opted to say nothing. Charlie wasn't looking for an answer anyway.

"Bella was… quite vehement in defending you last night."

Another moment of suffocating silence followed.

He huffed. "Look, what I wanted to say is that when Jacob told me about you, all I could picture was a middle-aged guy playing with my daughter's innocent feelings for nefarious reasons and I came as soon as I could to make her realize that. Instead, I find you proclaiming your undying love for her. I have to admit, it threw me for a loop. I couldn't sleep and kept thinking about what you said all night."

The memory of Bella's nightly visit came unbidden to my mind.

 _If Charlie was awake, did he hear something?_

 _But if he wasn't bringing it up, then I certainly wasn't going to._

He turned to face me. "She has told you about her Nana and Renee. That means you know Renee took her away from me and I let her, thinking that a little girl would be better off with her mother. I never thought Renee would basically pawn her off to Marie. Ever since I learned of that, I have never stopped feeling guilty for my inaction in the matter." He paused, inhaling deeply and breathing it out in a gush. "When Bella came to live with me after Marie's death, she was a teenager. I didn't know much about teenage girls, but I did know that they rarely talk to their fathers about their feelings. She had just lost the most important person in her life and there was nothing I could do to ease her pain. I have never felt more helpless. Bella, though… she's a strong one. She bounced right back, found her passion, her goal and focused all her energy into it.

"Edward, your parents are kind people and I know they have raised you to be a good man. Bella… has chosen to be with you, and because I love my daughter, I am going to try my best to accept that. You were right last night; she is smart and mature enough to understand what she wants in life, and I must learn to respect that."

"Chief Swan, I…" I trailed off.

"No matter how old she is, she will _always_ be my little girl and I will always barge in wherever and whenever the hell I need to in order to protect her." He held my gaze steadily. "I will never stop feeling like I failed her once, when I let her go so easily with Renee. That makes me even more determined to shield her from any and every bit of sadness I can. If I hear about you causing her an ounce of hurt, I will find you from the darkest corners of the earth and make you pay. I'm not loosening up about you; in fact, I'll be watching you even more closely now. Do you understand me?"

I bit back a smile, lest he thought I wasn't taking his warning seriously. "Perfectly, Sir. Bella's happiness is the most important thing to me."

He regarded me intently and I met his stare with an unwavering one of my own. Finally, he nodded. "Good. Then we have an understanding. One more thing. I will hold you to what you said last night about not rushing her in anything. You will give her time and space and let her make her own decisions, without any influence from your side."

His moustache twitched as his mouth flattened into an uncompromising line. I nodded solemnly. "You have my word."

"And I –uh, I guess you can call me Charlie."

And that was that.

Once he had left, after an awkward as hell goodbye, I shot off a text to Bella about her father's rather begrudging sanction of our relationship. She replied with a series of smiling and dancing emoticons and I laughed. It felt good, especially after the difficult day I had had.

My shift was not over yet, so I made my way back inside and rest of the day passed while I checked up on the non-emergent cases. Most of them just needed a quick neuro exam and the confirmation that everything was fine. I had to go in for another craniotomy, but thankfully, it was an easy procedure and I didn't have to face the possibility of losing another patient today. I checked in on Hannah and her baby, too. There was no change in Hannah's condition, but her baby girl seemed to be doing fine. She was still in an incubator, but the pediatricians were happy with her vitals so far. I prayed that her husband would get some little solace in that. Nothing could possibly bring any measure of relief to him on this day, other than their daughter.

Before leaving, I checked in on my concussion patient and assured his wife that he was doing fine. It was a relief to finally deliver good news to someone's family.

When I reached home, I was greeted by Bella's grinning face. Her smile fell quickly, though, when she saw my haggard appearance.

"What's wrong?" she asked, as I removed my coat and threw down my bag carelessly onto the floor.

She sat beside me on the couch and took my hand. My parents walked out of the kitchen and expressed their concern when they saw my defeated posture.

I didn't want to dampen everyone's spirits, but they persisted, so, eventually, I came out with the story. Without divulging any specifics, I told them as succinctly as possible and with as much information as I was permitted to give.

My father's face filled with understanding immediately, and he clasped my shoulder in silent support. There was nothing to say; it had been an impossible situation. Mom tried to hide the tears that fell from her eyes, but I caught the movement. She gave me a few encouraging words and a watery smile.

When Dad's phone rang, he went inside the bedroom to answer it. Mom headed into the kitchen, muttering something about dinner, but I knew that she needed to distract herself to regain her composure. I was granted a moment alone with Bella.

My hand was clasped tightly in both of hers, as she sat silently beside me.

"Charlie?" I asked.

"I dropped him off at the airport an hour ago."

"Oh."

"Your Mom asked me to stay for dinner when I came to pick up Charlie's stuff. If you'd rather stay alone tonight, Edward, I completely understand," she said softly, nothing but concern and kindness in her voice.

"On the contrary, I would beg you if I have to, to stay with me tonight," I whispered.

She cupped my face lovingly. "Are you sure?"

I placed my hands on hers, twining our fingers together. "Yes, please. When I had to deliver the devastating news to that man, I-" I swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in my throat. "All I could think was how much I wanted to have you before my eyes so that I could see you and touch you. I must have delivered bad news to the patients' families a hundred times, Bella, and yet, the crippling feeling never goes away. It's like, this weight that settles in your chest and threatens to crush you," I whispered. "You can't help but doubt yourself, even if it's just for a moment. Whether or not you did everything possible to try to save his or her life.

"Doctors, who are far more experienced than me, say that it would never go away, but one day, the feeling would lessen to the point where you can push it to a recess of your mind, and move on to save the next life. I don't know when it would happen for me. All I know is that I am certainly not there yet."

She leaned in and placed a soft, slow, lingering kiss on my forehead. "Nana used to tell me that this anger and sorrow over the lives lost is what makes you human and it's what keeps you going in this profession. The day you stop caring about your patients… that's the day you will have lost the purpose that nudged you into medicine in the first place. You're a great person and a great doctor, Edward. I know I had no hand in making you that, but I'm so proud of you and I always will be. I have no doubt that you did everything in your power for your patient."

"I wish I could have met her… your Nana."

She gave me a tiny, but genuine smile. "I wish that, too. I'd like to believe that she's watching over us and blessing our relationship. She would have loved you, you know. I'm sure of it."

I kissed her, pouring all my gratitude and love into it. I hoped that she could feel it.

"Mmm," she sighed when we broke apart, too soon for my liking, but we could hear the sounds of my mother working in the kitchen.

I took a deep breath and the aroma floating in the air hit my senses for the first time. "Is that-?"

"Chicken Parmigiana? Yes, it is," Bella said with a grin. "Sources tell me that you love it and that this is what Esme had to bribe you with for ending your Donald Duck impression."

I shrugged, not embarrassed in the least. "What can I say? I love it."

"Well, then you go freshen up, get your Dad and I'll set up the table. Esme mentioned that the food was just about done."

"Sounds good."

With a peck on my cheek, she jumped up to her feet and I headed into my room.

When I returned, I saw that my Dad had already taken his place at the table. Mom and Bella brought out the mouth-watering dishes, and sat down beside him.

I watched with a smile as Mom reached out to smack Dad's hand away from the bowl, telling him to wait for me. Bella stifled a giggle, and Mom joked with her, saying something while pointing toward Dad and shaking her head.

As I padded forward, their eyes fell on me. Mom waved me over with an indulgent smile. "Come quickly, dear. Your Dad here is having a tough time waiting to sample the dishes."

Bella winked as I settled down in my chair and a strange sense of peace and satisfaction washed over me.

The sight of the people I loved the most in the world sitting together, interacting playfully and comfortably with each other tugged at my heart.

Bella passed me a bowl, prodding me out of my musing as she looked closely at my face.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered.

I smiled at her and nodded. Calmly. Reassuringly. Happily.

Everything was absolutely perfect.

* * *

 **A/N: Have you voted for Curveball in the poll over at Twifanfictionrecs dot com? No? C'mon guys, please? *pouts***

 **Until next time :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: As always, big thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

My parents stayed at my place for a week. Dad accompanied me to the hospital to meet my colleagues on a couple of days, while Mom and Bella went to the mall or the park. Alice had also hit it off well with my mother and I'd heard my Dad complaining about the devastating effect the trios' shopping expeditions on the Fifth Avenue were going to have on his credit cards.

"Oh, shush, Carlisle!" Mom had waved off his protests. "We don't have a daughter, so I am living vicariously through these two lovely girls. Let me have my fun. I am never going to find this kind of stuff in Forks!"

With an indulgent smile, he let it go.

 _As though he had any choice in the matter._ I snickered.

By the time we dropped them off at the airport, Mom and Bella had exchanged e-mail ids and I caught the tail end of a promise to keep in touch.

Just before leaving, Mom held my face in her hands and smiled. "Bella is a lovely girl and I can see why it didn't take you long at all to fall for her. Be happy, Edward. After everything you've been through, you deserve it. Don't be too cautious. Breathe in and savor every moment of your love, honey."

Her words warmed my heart and I embraced her tightly.

Dad had also saved a few words of wisdom for me. "Now, listen to me very carefully, Edward. I understand why you didn't feel comfortable mentioning to us about your relationship in the past. Now that it's all out in the open, I want you to know that you can talk to me anytime. Okay, son? I'm not going to judge you, or chastise you. I'm always here to listen and offer whatever help I can give you."

I smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

He patted me on the back before moving onto Bella. Mom and Dad told her how proud the entire town was of her and to call them anytime if she needed any help.

My sweet girl teared up at their easy acceptance of her. Mom embraced her warmly. It meant a lot to Bella. I could see that in her eyes. Renee's flighty attitude was in sharp contrast to my Mom's loving nature. She could go overboard sometimes, but I was pretty sure Bella was not going to mind.

Once they'd left, Bella turned to me with a sigh. She looked a little sad, so I pulled her against me and kissed the tip of her nose. It worked. As always, she wrinkled her nose in that adorable way of hers and smiled.

"Well, that went better than we imagined, right?" I asked.

She hummed in agreement and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Certainly. Maybe you were right. Jacob did us a favor by forcing our hand. Now that the whole "telling the parents" is out of the way, we can focus only on us. I should send him a thank you note."

I suppressed the urge to growl. That was left best to Neanderthals. "I wouldn't go that far," I muttered, and she giggled. "He hasn't bothered you again, has he?"

"Nope. Charlie mentioned that he paid him a visit after he came to see you at the hospital. He didn't divulge any specifics, but whatever he said to Jake seems to have worked. He's been keeping his distance."

"Good. I'm glad."

"He isn't a bad person, Edward, at least he wasn't before. I barely recognize this new impulsive and conceited Jacob." She shook her head. "I hate to see him like this, but he is no longer the boy who used to be my best friend. I tried to get through to him, and even gave him what he wanted by agreeing to that one date, so that he would realize that there could never be anything more between us. Now that he has turned into a bitter and arrogant shell of himself, there's nothing I can do about it."

"I just worry about you, baby."

"I know you do." She pecked my lips. "I'm telling you though, that it'll be fine. He respects Charlie like a second father. He won't go against him. I've seen Jacob around couple of times, but he has not approached me. I'm glad that he's finally taken the hint, and has begun to ignore me as I've been ignoring him."

I grimaced slightly, so she kissed me once again. This time, I didn't let her pull away. Bringing her flush against my chest, I opened my mouth to her and deepened the kiss. My hands wandered underneath her thick jacket and stroked her skin through the delicate material of her shirt. As soon as they brushed the sides of her breast, she gasped.

Backing away, she looked at me through narrowed eyes. "You seem to have a thing for public places, Dr. Cullen. First it was the hospital, then the car showroom, and now the airport."

I smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Need I remind you that I was the one who brought us both back to our senses at all those places?"

"You could, if you don't want to finish what you just started here." She pressed her lips into a straight line, but I could see right past the stern façade.

"Like you would ever want to stop. You want me far too much, baby." I leered at her and wiggled my eyebrows, making her laugh and slap my arm playfully.

She shook her head, still giggling, and tugged me toward the parking lot. "Stop being a smartass, and take me home so that we can continue this in the privacy of my bedroom."

"Yes, ma'am."

Needless to say, I made it to her place in record time, and Bella rewarded me by making good on her promise.

* * *

The next evening, I headed over to see her after my shift and I was greeted by a _very_ excited Bella.

She showed me some notes she'd made for her upcoming test. "Ooh, I love mnemonics!" She grinned and bounced in her seat.

I raised an eyebrow at her exuberance. "How many Red Bulls have you had?"

"Three. I needed to stay awake to finish this, Edward." She pouted. "The lab we had to perform today was exhausting. I wanted nothing more to snuggle under the blanket and sleep like a baby, but the exam is tomorrow. I had to glance through the entire unit at least once today."

I looked at my watch and chuckled. "It's not even nine and you are done with this unit. You have got this in the bag, baby. I know you've been revising all your notes for a week, at least. Why are you so worried?"

She sighed. "Physics always makes me worry."

I wrapped an arm around her and brought her flush to my side. We were sitting cross-legged on the floor with Bella's books strewn all around us. I pulled her back with me to lean back against the base of the couch.

I combed my fingers through her soft hair as I spoke. "I know, but this time, I've watched you study and I am one hundred percent sure that you are ready. Now, I know that you take each and every test seriously, and I love that about you, but this one is not a major exam. You told me so yourself. You shouldn't take on too much stress, baby."

Somewhere in the middle of my little speech, Bella had pulled back to look directly into my eyes. When I was done speaking, she was still staring at me with a dazed expression on her face.

"Bella? Are you alright?"

"Yeah uh, yeah." She cleared her throat. "You just, um, you said…"

"Said what?" I prompted gently when she didn't continue. I thought back over my words, but didn't find anything that would evoke such a reaction from her.

 _Did I say something wrong?_

She shook her head, as a soft, almost wry smile stretched across her face. "It's nothing. I know I need to calm down. Exams tend to make me very anxious. This professor always likes to bring out the tougher questions, you know the ones that require on two or three steps of deduction and only then you can get to the calculation."

"Deduction, calculation, evaluation- you've done it all. I have no doubt that you are going to rock this test." I nodded once for emphasis.

"Rock the test?" she repeated.

"Isn't that what you guys say nowadays?" I asked innocently.

She giggled and pressed her lips to mine, signaling the end of that conversation. We were clearing up her piles of books, when the door opened and Alice walked in. I frowned, looking her over from head to toe.

 _There was something different._

"Oh, shit," Bella mumbled.

"What's wrong?" I whispered to her, as Alice stomped into the kitchen.

Bella looked at me incredulously. "She cut her hair!"

The proverbial light bulb went off in my head. Bella was right. Alice previously had shoulder-length, straight, black hair. Now, as she came back into the room, I saw that it had been cut into some sort of a spiky style, and the tips of the strands were highlighted purple.

Bella frowned in deep concern, and I watched in confusion as Alice plopped down on a chair with a tub of ice-cream in her hands.

I looked toward my girlfriend. She saw the bewilderment on my face and explained, "When a girl changes her hair or wardrobe all of a sudden, it means she's hurt. Usually, it's about a guy."

"Ah." I nodded like that made perfect sense to me. "Should I leave?"

She looked torn. "I think… I'm not sure." We both winced when Alice slammed the frozen contained against the table. "Actually, yeah, you should do that. I'll talk to her."

Without any further prompting, I made my way out and called Jasper.

He answered with a hard laugh. "I knew you'd be calling soon."

"What happened? Where are you?"

"Shit met fan, that's what happened." The slur in his voice was unmistakable.

"Are you at Joe's?" I asked, referring to the bar down the block from the hospital.

When he replied in the affirmative, I headed there as soon as humanly possible. The traffic was incredibly frustrating, but I managed to reach there within an hour.

I found Jasper easily enough, sitting at the bar with a drink in hand. Judging by the way he was swaying in his seat, it definitely wasn't his first one.

I took the seat next to him and managed to get him to focus on me long enough to tell his story.

Apparently, Maria had latched on to him ever since the incident with Mrs. Brooks. While he'd managed to dodge any advances she had made, she had only gotten clingier and had demanded to know why he had been rejecting her. He had informed her that he was seeing someone else, but she refused to let him go. Today, when Alice had come to surprise him, Maria managed to intercept her and told Alice everything about her relationship with Jasper. Alice had been shocked and dismayed to learn about it from her, instead of Jasper, and left without giving him a chance to explain.

"Jasper," I sighed.

" _I know!_ " he groaned. "I should have told her when I had the chance, but it's not like I cheated on her! I haven't touched Maria since I started dating Alice."

"That might be so, but the fact is that you pursued Alice before you broke things off with Maria," I pointed out. "If you had managed to get rid of Maria immediately after that, then maybe Alice wouldn't have been so upset, but not after stringing her along for all this time."

"I know you're right." He rubbed a frustrated hand over his clammy face. "I think I hid the truth from both of them because I was expecting the worst. You know me. I've never been in a serious relationship. I like Alice a lot, but in the back of my mind, I was afraid that I would fuck it up, and as horrible as it sounds… Maria is easy… uncomplicated. That's why I didn't push her away immediately."

"So she was your backup?" I asked. I hated to admit it, but honestly, I was a little disgusted.

"Fuck! That sounds all kinds of pathetic and wrong," he muttered. "I have no idea what I was thinking. I waited too long, and now I think I should have told Alice first, and then Maria. I don't even know what lies she must have spewed in front of Alice."

"What do you want now, Jas?" I questioned him hesitantly.

He met my gaze sadly. "Now, every minute of the three hours that have passed since the incident, all I can see is Alice's tearful face and I fucking _hate_ that I am the one responsible for it. I never wanted to hurt her, Edward." He looked at me earnestly and his eyes pleaded with me to believe him, so I nodded.

"I know, Jas. I know."

"Did you talk to Emmett today?"

"No."

"Remember that meeting in Jersey? They went to see a surrogate. Rose doesn't want to risk another miscarriage. They're going ahead with this woman they met. You're with Bella, Emmett's going to be a dad, and me… why can't I have it all figured out, too?" He paused for a moment. "It scares the hell out of me to let someone in, but Alice… she is worth every effort I have to make to conquer that fear. Why did it take me this long to realize it?" His voice was despondent, so I clutched his arm.

"Hey! Where's the guy who encouraged me to not give up with Bella, huh?" I hesitated before continuing. "You need to tell her everything, Jasper. She needs to know it to understand you better. I can't tell what she must be thinking right now, but even if she trusts that you haven't cheated on her, she must have been hurt about the fact that it wasn't you who told her the truth."

He dropped his head. "I know. I had thought I'd do it next weekend, on Valentine's Day. She has been really excited about it. I thought she would be more understanding then, you know?"

 _Or it could ruin her notions about the day forever._

I knew better than to voice that thought.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be with her, begging on your knees, or something?"

He grimaced. "I would have done it, but she said she wasn't ready to speak to me just yet. She told me that if I respect her, I would give her the space she needs to deal with this."

I sighed.

"Don't give up, Jasper. These women, I don't know how they do it, but somehow they are able to see past all the bullshit issues that we surround ourselves with, and see us for what we really are. Once you open up to her, she'll be there for you. I'm sure that she'll be the one to help you see yourself the way she sees you. You need to change the way you think about yourself to be able to be the man Alice needs. You can do better than meaningless one - night stands or the whole _friends with benefits_ thing. You _are_ capable of loving someone, Jasper. I know that, and so does Alice, or else she would never have taken a chance on you in the first place. You just need to believe it, and then show her that she means the world to you."

He sighed. "We'll see, I guess."

Eventually, after deciding on a plan of action that consisted of texting her twice a day, so as to not overwhelm or irritate her, I convinced Jasper to leave. His car was still in the hospital's parking lot, so we left it there, and I took him home in mine.

After dropping him off, I'd just entered my apartment, when my phone rang.

"Bella?"

"Hey," she sighed.

"How is she doing?"

"She's binging on ice-cream; that says it all. Her mood is oscillating wildly between anger and sadness. It's hard to keep up. Still, I'm doing my best. She knows about my test, so she ordered me to get some rest now. I tried to stay, but she wouldn't hear of it."

"What wouldn't I give for a few boring days?"

"I know!" she moaned and I imagined her stretching out on her bed. That got me thinking of the nights we spent together in that very bed, with Bella curled up on my chest or tucked into my side. "I wish we could have a little time without the outside world interfering. Just you and me." I shifted slightly as the memory of her delectable behind pushing against my morning wood came to mind.

 _So highly inappropriate._

"Edward?" Bella asked, trying to gain my wandering attention.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I'm here."

We talked for a few more minutes before saying goodbye. Bella's words replayed in my mind as I walked into the bedroom. I stripped out of my jeans, and slipped under the covers.

A little private time with my girlfriend sounded absolutely perfect.

When an idea planted itself in my head, I stretched my arm to grab my laptop. I just hoped that she would be amenable to it.

It was time for some research.

* * *

 **A/N: Just 2 more regular chapters to go now. I have exams going on, but I should be able to post Chapter 18 next week. It might just be the one you have all been waiting for ;) After that, I will take a couple of weeks off to finish the story, but I promise to leave you on a happy note.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** **Hello, everyone! Hope you're having a good day. Thank you for your well wishes for my exams. I still have a week of practicals to get through, but I'll make it ;)**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa... Thank you so much.**

 **This is one huge chapter for me, but you guys have waited long enough for this, so I didn't dare break it up. 5000 words coming up for ya...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 18**

I felt his eyes on me, and hoped that ignorance would work to make him back off.

 _No such luck._

With a resigned sigh, I looked up from the papers and met his gaze. His smirk widened.

I threw up my hands. "What, Emmett?"

He laughed at my frustration. "C'mon. Just admit that you've thought about it and I'll back off."

I said nothing.

Tomorrow, Bella and I were heading off for to a resort nearby to celebrate our first Valentine's Day thinking about nobody but each other.

The last week had been tense, to say the least. Alice had refused to speak to or about Jasper for the first few days. Bella had her hands full with a heartbroken roommate, while Emmett and I had been trying our best to prevent Jasper from falling into depression.

He had been messaging Alice every day, and told me that he had written her an e-mail, explaining about Maria's actions, as well as his own mistakes, and begging for her to see him. He reiterated that he didn't cheat on her, at least physically, and was extremely sorry for causing her pain by hiding the truth from her. At first, I wondered if it was too impersonal a mode of communication for what was obviously an important conversation. I realized, though, that there was no other option since Alice had been ignoring his calls and his requests to see her. Maybe this way she could let him in a little bit, before they could talk face-to-face.

I had also been worried that this incident would be a major setback in the tentative friendship we had formed, but Alice had made no such indication and had been polite every time we'd met. I couldn't deny that it was a huge relief. It was clear that she didn't hold Jasper's misdoings against me.

I knew exactly what Alice was going through. It was a gut-wrenching feeling to realize that someone you trusted had betrayed you. That said, I couldn't give up on Jasper. He was my friend, and he needed my support. So even though I hated what he'd done, I tried my best to encourage him to stay strong and persevere in his efforts to prove his worth to Alice. Meanwhile, Bella and I tiptoed around information about how our friends were doing. Our conversations about them were always stilted, as we wondered how much to reveal to the other without breaking Jasper's or Alice's trust.

To sum it up, the past week had certainly not been an easy one, but we managed to get through it. I had fretted over our weekend getaway, wondering if Bella would be ready to leave Alice alone if the latter was not doing well. We had almost decided to postpone our trip, but it was Alice who made the decision for us.

Two days ago, when I had visited Bella, it was the first time since the whole fiasco that I saw a smile on Alice's face. She seemed to be coping better, and for the sake of my friend, I hoped it meant that she was ready to talk to him, and not that she was going to move on without him. Jasper had never cared for a woman as much as he did for her. I worried that her rejection would send him down a worse path than the one that she had brought him back from. I didn't mention any of this to Alice, though.

Both Bella and I had been relieved beyond measure at the change in Alice's demeanor. Not only did Alice start recovering her good humor, she had also agreed to give Jasper a chance to put forward his side of the story. She informed him yesterday that she wasn't ready to get back into a relationship with him just yet. However, she didn't want to spend any more time agonizing over exactly how much of Maria's story was true. She needed to hear the truth from him, so that the numerous scenarios playing in her head would stop. Only then could she decide whether or not she wanted to give him another chance.

She had a group project to complete this weekend, so she agreed to meet with him after her class on Monday.

After she had messaged Jasper, she grilled Bella about our plans for Valentine's Day. Bella managed to deflect her questions for a little while, but Alice got suspicious and wouldn't rest until Bella came out with the whole truth. I had been absent during the Spanish Inquisition, but received a call from Alice promptly after it, chewing me out for letting Bella attempt to cancel our little trip. She assured us both that she was done moping over Jasper, and had enough on her plate to keep her busy. We could have our weekend, and Bella could be there for her after her talk with Jasper.

Now that I had to deal with Emmett's innuendos, I wondered if this was such a good idea.

 _Who was I kidding? I would take him on a hundred times for a chance to be with Bella._

"Of course I've thought about it," I muttered, giving him the answer he desired.

"Ha! I knew it." He fist-pumped the air, as though he'd figured out the secret of the origin of the universe, when really, it was no mystery.

Of course I'd thought about this weekend being _the_ weekend. Bella and I had been together for almost two months now. The sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her face whenever we spent time together told me that she trusted me and it was something I didn't take lightly. I loved her with all my heart, and making love to her was something I wanted more than anything, but I knew this would be her first time. I wanted to make it as special as I possibly could.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't hope for it to happen this weekend, but if she wasn't ready, I would never push her to take that step. No matter how much I longed for it.

I told Emmett as much. He didn't get a chance to pester me further on the topic, because Jasper arrived, and we spent the rest of our time calming his nerves about his upcoming conversation with Alice.

The next morning found me bright and early at Bella's doorstep. Alice opened the door for me, and smiled. She informed me that Bella was just packing her toiletries.

We made small talk for a few minutes, and fell silent after that.

"Is he… does he…" she stuttered, then paused. "How is he?"

"He's doing better since you agreed to give him a chance," I stated cautiously. "He's nervous, of course. He regrets what he did, Alice. He really does."

Alice nodded. She didn't look sad anymore. In fact, she looked determined. "I'll hear him out. I can't make any promises, but I need to know what he has to say for himself, before I can make a decision."

I gave her a supportive nod and a small smile, which she returned.

Bella walked in with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder, and a sweet smile on her face. I took the bag, and headed out to give them some privacy. Alice wished me a good weekend, and I returned the sentiment.

Bella joined me moments later, and we started our journey. She told me about how Alice had elicited the truth out of her.

"She cited the time when I was in the hospital, when I had refused to let her stay with me and cancel her plans to go home. She promised me that she would be spending most of her time at the library, finishing her project. She also informed me that she was too cool to spend a weekend pining over a guy, no matter how hot he was." Bella shook her head, smiling indulgently. "She said that I didn't have to say the words for her to know I wanted to go, and that was the end of the discussion."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

Bella placed her hand over my knee. "You have nothing to apologize for, baby. I didn't tell you this to make you feel bad. You promised to be honest with me, and I'm doing the same, that's all. There's nowhere else I want to be right now except with you." She smiled, and then changed the subject. "Now, tell me about this place. You've been so secretive." She pouted.

I chuckled. "I just want you to have the full experience once we get there. It's just three hours away. You can handle the suspense until then."

She crossed her arms over her chest, but acquiesced.

We spent the rest of the drive comparing our favorite music stations and convincing each other why our respective favorites were better than the others. Before long, I pulled into the driveway of the resort. Bella's eyes widened when she saw the opulent lobby. I was happy to see that the pictures on the website did it justice.

" _Buongiorno!_ " The man at the reception greeted us with excessive enthusiasm. His olive skin and greasy black hair glinted almost eerily under the lights, but his expression was welcoming. With his hands clapped together, he smiled, showing off all of his teeth. "I'm Aro Volturi. Welcome to Volturi Lake Retreat. Do you have a reservation?"

I gave him my name and he passed me a form to fill out. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him reach out to shake Bella's hand in glee. When she told him her name, he fawned all over her.

Once that was done, he handed me the key to our cabin, and proceeded to lead us there himself.

We passed through the glass doors at the back and walked along the stony path that led us to the lake that gave the resort its name.

Along the way, Aro regaled us with stories about how his family had built the place from scratch and prided themselves for having thrived in the business for decades. I watched Bella's face carefully, and was pleased to see that she looked happy while taking in our surroundings and listening to Aro's tales.

There were only fifteen cabins, all around the circumference of the lake. They were well spaced and had trees and fences separating them, so the residents of each cabin were granted adequate privacy.

Aro led us to the last cabin on this side of the lake and we followed him in.

"Please call the reception if you need _anything_ ," he insisted. "I'll help you out as best as I can, _bellissimo_ Isabella."

"Thank you, Mr. Volturi." I all but pushed him out and shut the door, while Bella laughed. "I'm sorry about… that. The reviews for this place were great, but they didn't mention over-friendly staff."

She giggled again and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Well, I think he was great."

"He needed a lesson in personal boundaries," I grumbled.

She kissed away the frown on my lips. "Put him out of your mind. Come on. Let's take a look around."

The outside of the cabin was predominantly wood and stone. Inside, the décor was rustic, and consisted predominantly of earthy tones. The living room had a television and a fireplace. There was a dining table and a small kitchen on the other side, for those who wanted to cook their own food. The bedding and curtains in the two bedrooms were in shades of maroon, brown and gold, keeping in line with the theme of the entire place, but put together, it looked luxuriant, yet homey and comfortable.

The smile on Bella's face as she peeked inside all the rooms assured me that she liked it, as did the searing kiss she gave me in thanks.

We spent a little time inspecting the amenities in the room, and lounged on the couch for a little while after that. Since we'd both foregone breakfast, soon we were starving and decided to head over to the restaurant for lunch. It was in the same building as the reception. The buffet was a grand affair and the meal was delicious. The afternoon passed easily with us talking and laughing while feasting on the mouth-watering dishes.

When Bella excused herself to the restroom, I found Aro and told him my request for the evening. He was more than happy to oblige.

"Anything for the _bellissimo_ Isabella," he simpered.

He was one creepy fellow, but at least he was helpful.

I dismissed him before Bella returned, so she was none the wiser about my plans for the evening.

After lunch, we decided to take a stroll around the resort property. One of the cabins housed a family of four, and when we passed by, we saw the kids busy piling up snow to create a snowman, and ordering the parents to do the same. They waved as we passed.

A few minutes later, my phone chimed, so I pulled it out. I'd received a picture message and when I opened it, I choked on my own saliva. I coughed violently to dislodge the lump as Bella panicked.

"Edward, what's wrong? Edward?" she gasped. Her hands moved frantically over me, patting my back sporadically.

"I'm okay," I rasped, then cleared my throat. "I'm fine," I assured her, once I could speak normally.

"What happened?"

"Did you, uh, did you happen to mention about this trip to Charlie?" I asked her.

She looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "No, of course not. I wasn't about to risk another surprise visit from him."

Silently, I handed her my phone. Her eyes widened comically and she bit her lip in consternation when she saw the picture I'd just received.

It was a picture of Charlie with his collection of guns. He'd tried to take a selfie. I said _tried_ because his face covered barely a small corner on the bottom of the picture, and only his mustache seemed to be in focus. The rest of his face was slightly blurred, as though his hand shook at the last moment. The background consisted of a rifle, a shotgun, and a couple of other types of guns I couldn't name.

Out of nowhere, a snort left Bella's lips. Seconds later, it morphed into paroxysms of giggles. My lips twitched involuntarily when she bent over at the waist, and continued to laugh breathlessly for several minutes.

"Oh my God! Oh, Dad!" She shook her head when she'd managed to regain her equilibrium. "He's just getting a hang of the latest technology, Edward."

"More like he's sending me a warning," I muttered.

"Awww, poor baby." She kissed my cheek. "It's a good thing he's across the country, huh?"

"I've heard of mother's intuition. Is there a counterpart for fathers, too?" I wondered, a little worried.

Bella bit her lip, but a chuckle escaped anyway. She placed the phone back in my pocket and took my hand, entwining our fingers.

"He's already given you his blessing, Edward. Don't let him get to you. He's just messing with you with this Ode to the 'Stache."

It was my turn to gape at her. "Ode to the…" I shook my head. "What the… Where did you even... Do not forget the guns, Isabella!"

Her laughter was the only response I got as we resumed our stroll. The rest of the afternoon passed comfortably, without any further interruptions.

When Bella claimed to be tired and expressed her desire to go back to the cabin, I looked at my watch. Aro would not even have gotten started, so we couldn't go in just yet.

I proposed a trip to the game room and thankfully, she agreed. We passed over an hour competing in a game of checkers. After beating me soundly, Bella glanced toward the pool table and admitted that she'd always wanted to learn how to play, but never got the chance. I held out my hand, taking up the challenge and she smiled brightly.

It was quickly clear to the both of us that though she was excellent at a lot of things, playing pool just wasn't destined to be one of those. Still, I persevered to correct her stance and her shots for quite a while, until she eventually gave up with a pout.

I took the opportunity to place a soft kiss on her full lips. That was all it took to bring the light back to her eyes.

I was satisfied when I peeked at my watch this time, and Bella readily agreed when I suggested we return to our cabin. Once there, I opened the lock, and bowed with a flourish, motioning with a hand for Bella to enter. "After you, ma'am."

She grinned. "Why, thank you, Sir."

I held my breath as she stepped in, hoping like hell that Aro had managed everything successfully. I should have planned this better, so that I would have had a chance to check the arrangements for myself. On second thought, I wished I could have done it all myself.

 _What's done is done_ , I thought when I heard Bella gasp and walked in behind her.

I expelled a sigh of relief when I saw that Aro had followed my instructions to a T. For danger of a fire, we couldn't light a real candle in the cabin, so instead, I'd asked him to place battery-operated ones with artificial, flickering flames along the edges of the floor and on the dining table. The lighting was muted, making the candles throw quivering little shadows all over the surfaces.

On the dining table, there lay a large bouquet of long-stemmed red, pink and white roses, along with the meal I'd asked him to get prepared and delivered for us.

Bella was still rooted to her spot. Her eyes followed my movement as I walked to the table and picked up the bouquet.

A team of hummingbirds seemed to take up residence in my stomach, when I made my way back toward her. The nerves that I'd managed to keep at bay so far returned with a vengeance as I presented her with the flowers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby," I said softly.

The sound of my voice seemed to thaw Bella out of her frozen state. A wide smile overtook her face. "Happy Valentine's Day, Edward." She wrapped me in a tight embrace. "You didn't have to do all this. Coming here and spending time with you was celebration enough for me," she mumbled against the skin of my neck and placed a soft kiss there.

I pulled back and nuzzled her nose with mine. "Now, where would be the fun in that?"

I pulled her toward the dining table, where she placed the roses, and was pleased to find our meal warm. Aro had come through quite well for me.

We shed off our coats and gloves and dug into our dinner. Bella moaned happily, as she bit into the perfectly cooked portion of chicken. I had to shift in my seat and resist the urge to adjust myself because the sound went straight to my groin.

With a deep breath, I reminded myself about the one remaining part of Bella's surprise before we could go anywhere near the bedroom. I was pulled out my lustful thoughts when Bella held out a spoonful of sorbet for me, and I accepted it with a smile.

Once we had finished, I excused myself to bring out the package I'd buried deep inside my bag. Bella looked on with an unrecognizable emotion in her eyes as I took a seat beside her and placed the gift box in her hands.

With a tilt of my head, I indicated her to open it. She inhaled sharply when she saw what lay inside.

It was a simple platinum chain, one she could wear every day, and I hoped that she would. The pendant itself was an amalgamation of two asymmetrical hearts, interwoven to create a delicate design. The glow of the lights danced and flickered against the diamonds that outlined the hearts.

"Wow! It's gorgeous. This is… This is too much, Edward," she whispered, though her eyes never strayed from the necklace.

I was silent until she looked at me. Then, I took her hand in mine and looked intently into the deep, chocolate pools of her eyes.

"It's not. It pales in front of you," I replied honestly. "You deserve the best in life, Bella, and I want to be the one to give it to you." I paused, and swallowed. "I want to give you anything and everything your heart desires, and so much more because… because I love you, Bella."

I watched her face as she absorbed my words. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears and she reached out to cup my face in her palm.

"You- you love me?" she whispered.

I smiled. "I do. More than anything." A flicker of hesitation flashed in her eyes, so I continued. "You don't have to say it back. I told you I would wait for you for as long as you need. I just didn't want to hide it from you any longer. I wanted you to know, without a doubt, what I feel for you."

I pulled the chain out of the box, and she turned around, allowing me to put it on her. My lips seemed to have a mind of their own as they began to plant languid kisses against the back of her neck.

"Oh, Edward." She turned to face me and kissed me deeply.

I wrapped her in my arms, pulling her flush against my chest, as her tongue invaded my mouth. When I lifted her up from the chair, she immediately wrapped her legs around my waist. We only broke apart long enough to place the gift box on the table, and tumbled our way into the bedroom. Somewhere along the way, I'd gotten Bella's shirt off, and as I lay her onto the bed, she reached her hands out for me, clad in a thin, white camisole and jeans. The pendant lay just below the hollow of her neck, the diamonds shining beautifully against her ivory skin.

For a few seconds, I just stood there, transfixed by the sight of her, and wondered how I'd gotten so lucky.

When her soft voice called out my name, I shook my head to clear my thoughts and made my way on the bed to lay with her. We rolled onto our sides to face each other, and our lips connected.

My fingers traced a path down the curve of her neck and over her collarbone, and my eyes followed, devouring every inch of her soft, smooth skin. I skimmed my thumbs over her taut nipples, making her take in a sharp breath, and continued downward. When I reached the hem of her top, my eyes flew up to hers. She raised her arms in silent approval, and helped me get it off. She reached out with shaky fingers to unbutton my shirt, and within a few moments, all our clothes were strewn on the floor.

Bella lay back on the bed, completely bare before me for the very first time, and it took all my restraint to keep my eyes fixed on hers. The apprehension was plain on her features. Slowly, I leaned down, pressing the upper half of my body against hers, and claimed her lips with mine. I tugged at her lower lip, sucking it into my mouth and teasing it with gentle nips, as she started to relax against me.

Once I felt the tension leave her body, I let my lips follow the path of my fingers, relishing in the taste of her skin. It wasn't long before Bella's hands wandered over my chest, and my forearms, before coming to rest on top of my shoulders. She pulled me down, and I obliged, pressing my lips against hers. As our tongues rubbed and stroked against each other, I placed my hand over her breast and tugged gently at her erect nipple.

Her back arched up from the bed and her lips broke away from mine as she gasped. My mouth grazed down the skin of her jaw, peppering light kisses along the light freckles on her neck as I went, and finally reached her breast, where I suckled one nipple into my mouth, and flicked it with my tongue. Her hands came up to thread through my hair as I lavished the other breast with equal attention.

I could feel the pounding rhythm of her heart when I kissed my way down the gentle slope of her waist, to her navel and then further below.

Bella's soft moans of approval spurred me on as I stroked the soft skin coated with her arousal. Ever so carefully, I moved my finger along her slit until I felt the firm roundness of her clit.

"Edward…" Bella moaned, writhing in pleasure as I let my thumb stroke it once. She whimpered when I pressed harder against the sensitive nub, slowly rubbing it in circles as I leaned in to place a soft, wet kiss against her navel.

I listened to her rapid, shallow breathing, and the sighs that tumbled from her lips as I continued my ministrations. When she was ready for more, I slowly inserted one finger, feeling the slight resistance, but her arousal made it easy to slide in.

My hand continued stroking against her folds as I made my way back up, and kissed her once more. This time, Bella's lips molded against mine hungrily, while her hands clawed at the skin of my back. Tender caresses morphed into frenzied gropes as our fervor heightened. Her hips rose of their own accord to rub against my hand, while I continued to stroke and rub until she reached the height of her pleasure.

I could feel her walls spasm around my finger as she tensed in my arms and her head fell back as her orgasm washed over her. I slowed the movement of my hand, gently bringing her down from her high as her body trembled in my arms and soft, sated whimpers slipped past her lips.

Pushing back the overwhelming desire to push into her that very second, I forced myself to back away, and look at her face. Her eyes were closed at first, and when they opened, they shone as bright as the diamonds in her pendant. She pulled my head down to place a soft, loving kiss against my lips.

"I love you, Bella," I whispered against her skin.

"Show me," she replied. Her hands roamed over my abdomen and wound around my back. "Love me, Edward."

I cupped her face in my palms, and kissed her deeply. With gentle prodding, her legs fell apart, and I settled myself between them. Without breaking contact with her lips, I positioned myself and slowly, cautiously pushed into her. Caressing the soft skin of her thighs, I coaxed her to relax and let me in, and kissed away the few tears that slipped out from the corner of her eyes.

Swallowing hard to control my primal desires, I held still, and waited until she looked at me with a shaky, but genuine smile, and nodded to urge me to move.

 _"_ _I love you…"_ I whispered when I pulled up her legs to wrap them around me, making my name fall from her lips in a breathless moan.

" _I love you…_ " I whispered as I established a deliciously slow rhythm, looking carefully at her face for any signs of discomfort, and feeling relieved when the frown on her features morphed into a look of pleasure. Her lips sought mine and within seconds, they were engaged in a dance of their own as I continued to move inside her.

 _"_ _I love you…"_ I whispered against her lips as her head fell back with her fingers ghosting all over my torso. My hand moved down her chest and her waist to rest between her legs. A throaty moan escaped her lips as her entire form trembled. I stroked and rubbed gently, when her hips reflexively rose to meet my thrusts, our rhythm getting more and more frenzied until she fell apart in my arms.

" _I love you…"_ I whispered, feeling every muscle in my body go still, as I followed right behind her. For a moment, I was unable to do anything but bury my head into the crook of her neck, and pant. Her hands eventually came up to wrap around my neck, and played with the small hair at the nape.

Once I gained back enough of my senses to realize that I must be crushing her, I quickly pulled back to lie beside her, feeling the loss of our connection immediately. When I turned my head to look at Bella, I found her already looking in my direction with a soft smile etched on her lips. I pulled her into my side, and she came willingly, resting her head on my chest. She placed her hand over mine, and laced our fingers together over my heart.

We spent a moment in silence, caressing, savoring, and just being with each other as we reveled in what we had just shared.

I was tethering between consciousness and sleep, when I heard Bella whisper my name.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?" I mumbled, pulling her closer.

I felt her lips plant a soft kiss against the skin over my heart. The cool metal of her necklace tickled my skin slightly, making me smile. Her voice floated in the still of the night to deliver the words I longed to hear for so long.

"I love you, too."

* * *

 **A/N: There were only a few of them, but I hope I didn't mess up the translations.** **If I did, let me know, and I'll correct it.**

 **I'll see you in a couple of weeks.**

 **Thanks for reading xx**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello, all! I present to you the last regular chapter of this story.**

 **We made it to 400 reviews, you guys! I cannot thank you enough for your support, encouragement, and love for my Older/Doctorward. He really appreciates it ;)**

 **A quick thanks to Dazzled Eyes22 and Melissa for their help, and I'll let you get on with reading… I'm saving the big thank you's for next time!**

* * *

As I slowly awakened, the memories from last night were firmly embedded in my mind. I must have looked like a loon, smiling for no apparent reason and lying in bed without a stitch on, but nothing could bring me down this morning. Remembering about the reason for my unbridled happiness, I stretched out my arms to look for her.

My eyes opened, rather reluctantly, when my hand was met with nothing but cool sheets. Worried, I sat up quickly, and looked around, but didn't find her in the room. I put on my discarded pants, and walked out.

Panic started bubbling in my chest when I couldn't find Bella anywhere inside the cabin. I looked out the window, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was standing out in the porch, leaning against the rail. Dressed in nothing but my T-shirt and her panties with her mahogany hair shining softly in the early morning sunshine, she looked ethereal, almost unreal in her mesmerizing beauty, and for a moment, I just stood there, wondering how the hell I'd gotten so lucky as to call her mine.

When I saw her rub her palms together, I pulled myself out of my reverie. I grabbed a blanket as well as a shirt for myself, and headed outside.

She didn't seem to hear my footsteps as I walked up to her without a word. She jumped slightly when I placed the shawl around her shoulders. I pressed my lips to the soft skin behind her ear, as she relaxed back against my chest.

"Everything okay?" I murmured.

"Mmmm," she sighed. "Perfect."

"I got worried when I woke up and you weren't there."

She turned her head halfway to kiss me. "Where was I going to go? I'm sorry, though. I just woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I came out here to admire the view. I guess I lost track of time."

I sucked her earlobe into my mouth, and nipped it gently. "I can understand that. It's easy to lose yourself when you have something so extraordinarily beautiful to look at," I whispered against the shell of her ear.

"Edward," she moaned lightly, rubbing her hands over my forearms that encircled her waist.

With a few soft, light kisses, I pulled away. I needed to ask her something, instead of getting carried away. I turned her around to face me. "Are you okay?"

She smiled shyly, as her cheeks bloomed with color. "Yeah. I'm perfect. Just a little sore." She bit her lip.

"I'm sorry." Though I knew it was to be expected, that didn't make it any easier to know that she was hurting the slightest bit.

She giggled, swatting my chest. "I'm not. Last night was… wonderful."

I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs. "It was."

"Thank you for bringing me here. This weekend has been… the best one of my life. I wish we had more time here. Just the two of us." She sighed.

"I love you," I whispered, leaning closer.

"I love you, too," she replied softly, meeting my lips with hers.

After she turned back, we stood there for a while, absorbing the tranquility of the scene as the sun rose higher up in the sky with its rays glinting off the frozen lake.

When I heard Bella's teeth clattering, and felt shivers travelling down my spine, we decided to head inside. We ordered in breakfast, and Aro himself accompanied the server who brought it to our room.

He wanted to know if _bellissimo_ Isabella had been satisfied with the preparations last night. When she thanked him with a beautiful smile, he clapped his hands in glee.

After he left us alone, we gorged on the croissants and omelets he'd brought for us, while we chatted. It pleased me no end that last night had had no change on the dynamics of our relationship. We could still talk freely and enjoy each other's company, without any awkwardness.

"What time do we have to leave?" Bella asked me once we had finished eating.

"Check out is at 2pm, so we can have lunch before leaving. That should give us enough time to get back home by the evening. You have classes tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "Real life beckons."

"Well, we still have a few hours, and we haven't showered yet," I suggested.

"I know _we_ haven't showered yet," she teased and winked, indicating that she had definitely caught my drift.

I grabbed the hem of my T-shirt and pulled it off quickly. "Maybe we should rectify that? I promise I'll be good. We can do… other things."

I stepped toward her, and she backed away with a grin. "What other things?"

"Why don't you drop your clothes and let me show you, baby?" I jumped toward her and she ran off with a squeal. I grabbed her and threw her over my shoulder just before entering the bathroom.

Needless to say, I spent the next hour showing her what "other things" I had planned for us to do together.

~ % ~

We spent a couple of hours curled up in front of the fireplace, and talked about everything, yet nothing in particular. I mentioned Emmett's and Rosalie's decision of going ahead with a surrogate.

"Rosalie can't have kids?" Bella asked softly, her voice despondent.

I kissed her forehead. "No. They've consulted several doctors, and she's been through innumerable tests, but no one could find any anomaly. She has gotten pregnant four times. The last time was by IVF, but she hasn't been able to carry past the first trimester. Emmett finally managed to convince her to go the unconventional way."

"I guess I can understand that," she whispered. "It must have been so hard on him to watch her hopes come crashing down all those times. It's so strange. Rose is such a strong person, and she's had to deal with-" She shook her head, and broke off. "I'm sure they'll make great parents. I can imagine Rose having to discipline both the child _and_ Emmett when they play pranks together." She giggled, and I smiled.

We stayed there, wrapped in each other's arms for as long as we could, getting up only when we absolutely had to leave. It amazed me how much we still didn't know about each other. The way she'd gesticulate with both hands when she was excited, or how her fingers would twist, untwist, and curl back between mine as we talked… these were the little traits that made her my Bella. While I knew all the major things about her, it was the little things that revealed themselves whenever we spent time together.

I must have been quiet for too long because Bella turned, and asked me if I was okay. I explained what I had been thinking about, and the soft, adoring kiss she gave me told me she felt the same way.

Packing up didn't take long at all, and soon, we were making our way out. I locked up, while Bella looked wistfully at the cottage.

My arms encircled her frame, and I pulled her closer. "We'll come back whenever you want, okay?"

She smiled. "When real life gets messy or busy, this could be our getaway spot to spend some time with nothing else on our minds, but each other."

"Sounds like an excellent plan, Miss Swan." I leaned in to kiss her, and she reciprocated happily.

We walked hand-in-hand to the reception, where we were met once again by none other than Aro. After a through assurance that we had a great time, and the promise to return, we were finally able to say goodbye to him, but not before he placed a kiss on Bella's hand.

I grumbled silently, or so I thought, because Bella giggled at my ramblings.

"He just… rubbed me the wrong way," I protested. It did nothing but make her kiss my cheek, and laugh harder at my expense.

~ % ~

It was past five when I parked the car outside Bella's dorm. I grabbed her bag, and we made our way up the stairs.

"I hope Alice's okay. Tomorrow's the big day," she said.

"I'll just drop you off, and leave, so you can talk to her properly."

She stopped, turning to face me. "Is it crazy that I don't want you to leave? We've just spent two days together, and it still makes me sad to know that I won't spend the night curled up in your arms."

I slung the strap over my shoulder to free my hand, and pulled her closer. "I feel the same way." I shrugged. "I _am_ crazy about you, so I think that's a fair assessment. Besides, I thought we'd already booked neighboring cots at the loony bin?"

She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck, rising to stand on her toes. "Well, I happen to echo that sentiment, so it seems we're good. I love you," she whispered against my lips.

 _I would never tire of hearing her say those words._

"I love you too." I brushed my lips against hers. It was soft, simple, and chaste, but enough to express our feelings. With our foreheads pressed together, we stayed in our secluded bubble for just a few more seconds, before Bella pulled out her key to unlock the door.

The door flew open before she could even enter the key in the lock.

"Welcome home!"

I watched, wide-eyed, as a woman with honey-blond hair locked her arms around my girlfriend's neck with a huge smile.

"How have you been, baby? You've been holding out on me!" She disentangled herself from the still shell-shocked Bella. I almost shrank back as she raked her grey eyes over me appreciatively. " _Really_ holding out on me. Come on in."

When she faced me with a bright smile, I recognized her. Bella had shown me a few old pictures, but even if I hadn't seen them, the likeness of their features would have alerted me that this was none other than Renee Dwyer.

Bella seemed to be in a daze as we walked inside. Alice was waiting in the living room. Her mood seemed drastically better as she bounced on her toes.

"Welcome back, guys! Did you have a good time?" She grinned, though her eyes scanned us nervously.

"Yeah, it was great," I replied, since Bella seemed determined to remain silent. I placed our bags to one side, while Renee continued to talk and hang on to Bella, undeterred by her daughter's silence.

My eyes were intent on my girlfriend, and despite the distance between us, I could see the storm brewing in her eyes.

"Phil had a meeting that ran long, and I thought, "Hey! Why don't I go see Bella now?" You know how those meeting bore me." She sighed heavily. "Oh, baby, I almost forgot! We had the best time last night! Phil has booked the honeymoon suite for our trip, and they decorated it with rose petals, and got us this delicious champagne- I'll have to write down its name- Oh! It was beautiful. I guess I can forgive him for working so long today, since he spent all of yesterday and last night with me. Then, I come here to see you, and imagine my surprise when Alice told me that you had gone away with your _boyfriend_! I didn't even know you were seeing someone! Oh, why would you hide that fine specimen of a man from me, Isabella? What else are you not telling your mother? Thank God, Alice told me that you were due to return soon, so I decided to wait for you right here." She turned to Alice. "We had a great time chatting, didn't we, sweetheart? Oh, we did!"

"Oh, totally," Alice replied in a chipper voice, but Renee didn't notice the sarcasm. I wondered if I could count just how many times Renee had exclaimed in the past one minute.

Despite my distraction, my eyes were still fixed on Bella's. I knew what was coming, so I winced at seeing her expression morph a second before she let out an exclamation of her own.

"Stop it!" she yelled, and Renee's mouth fell open comically, before snapping shut. Bella seemed to ignore her, and turned to me. "What is it with our parents that they think they can drop in anywhere and at any time?"

I was pretty sure she didn't even realize that she was still yelling. I walked up to her, and took her hands in mine, bringing her to the couch. Once she sat, I squeezed her hands.

"Relax," I whispered, and to my surprise, she did. She took in a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly and tried to calm down.

Once she had regained some of her composure, she turned to her mother, who was now sitting down, but was looking at us with wide eyes.

"Mom," Bella began slowly. "Firstly, I'm happy that you and Phil had a good Valentine's Day, but you don't need to share _all_ the details with me. Secondly, when you drop in unannounced, you can't expect me to be here to see you. And finally, you don't know about Edward because you hardly call me, and when you do, it mostly involves you talking, while I sit there and listen. I tried to tell you about our relationship, but you were too busy. That is why you haven't heard about _my_ _fine specimen of a man_."

Alice bit her lip, holding in her laughter, while I blushed, for the first time in years.

"Alice," Bella said slowly. Her voice was now even. "Thank you for entertaining my mother. I'll take it from here."

"Of course, Bella. Actually, I need to leave. I have to meet my group for one final rehearsal of the presentation in half an hour." She grabbed her bag and coat. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. There's lasagna in the oven. Renee, it was a pleasure. See you later." She waved us goodbye, still biting her lip, and left.

Renee shook herself out of her stupor. "Now, that was _completely_ uncalled for, Bella. I was just excited to share the details with you!"

"Like you ever listen when I'm trying to do the same," Bella muttered low enough that her mother couldn't hear her.

Trying to get the conversation onto a more peaceful track, I spoke up. "Mrs. Dwyer, it's nice to meet you. I'm Edward Cullen, Bella's boyfriend."

She grinned. "Please, darling, call me Renee. Delighted to meet you, Edward. Although, it would have been even better if my daughter had introduced us before you guys got serious enough to go away together for a weekend."

Bella threw up her hands and stood. She gave me a tired look before marching off to the kitchen.

I gave Renee a calm smile. "I believe she tried, Renee. Remember the time you called to inform her that you would be visiting with Phil? We'd just started seeing each other then. Bella was about to tell you, but I guess you had somewhere else to be. It's better late than never, though, right?"

She pursed her lips, assessing me carefully. "Better late than never."

Having tackled her mother for the moment, I excused myself to check on Bella. I found her standing in front of the microwave, watching the lasagna heat up with her lower lip firmly ensconced within her teeth.

She sighed when I hugged her. "She's so…."

I squeezed her waist. "I see that. It's just dinner, though. We'll get through it."

"I hope so."

"I love you," I murmured, pressing my lips to her hair, and she returned the sentiment.

I set the table, and Bella brought out the food. Renee watched us silently all the while.

The silence lasted several minutes into the meal, so I figured I'd bite the bullet, and started to make small talk with Renee. She launched excitedly into the story of her husband's career, and the agency that was now interested in signing him. Bella choked and coughed when Renee informed us that if all went well, they were looking at a possible move to NYC. I squeezed Bella's hand, silently telling her that we would cross that bridge only if we got to it.

"Tell me about you, Edward."

"Well, I'm a neurosurgeon…" I started, only to be interrupted by Renee.

"You're a doctor?" she gasped, and I could have sworn her interest in me went up several notches right before my eyes.

"Yes, he is," Bella told her succinctly. "A very talented one."

I cleared my throat, moving on, and answered a few other questions about myself. I didn't mind having the spotlight on myself as long as it kept Renee from saying something else that would hurt Bella.

The rest of the meal passed much more smoothly. I managed to bring Bella into the conversation when Renee asked about how we met. Her curiosity seemed to improve her listening skills drastically. I was glad to see Bella finally smile when she recalled our happy memories.

Once we'd finished eating, Bella started to clear up the dishes. I was about to follow her into the kitchen, when Renee stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"You're serious about her, aren't you?"

I looked at her straight. "Yes. I'm in love with your daughter."

She smiled slightly. "Does she know that?"

I nodded.

"That's… that's good, I guess. At your age, of course, you'd be looking to settle down and-"

"With all due respect, Renee, this has nothing to do with my age. I know I would have fallen head over heels for Bella no matter what point I was at in my life. I'm very lucky that she feels the same way. As far as settling down goes, I need nothing more than Bella's love and her company. I know that she's just getting started, and all I want is to be there with her to love her, support her and cheer her on as she fulfils all her dreams."

"And that is exactly what she needs," she sighed. "Bella has always been my little middle-aged child, and I've never known how to… be with her. What you said today, about me not listening to her, I don't even realize I'm doing it." She smiled sadly. "My decision to move in with my mother after we left Forks distanced us, because she spent so much time with her Nana. Sometimes, I wonder if things would have been different had we moved into a place of our own."

I bit the inside of my cheek to silence the strong urge to defend Bella and her Nana. Renee was the one more interested in getting herself a new man instead of spending time with her daughter. I couldn't understand how she could blame anyone but herself for the cracks in their relationship. I wasn't sure it was my place to say this to her, though.

"But then… I see her now, so smart and I know she's meant to do bigger things in life. I know I couldn't have made her what she is today if I had been on my own, and I can't bring myself to regret anything."

I could hear the sound of the faucet running, but I wondered if Bella was listening in. I hoped she was. I didn't know why Renee was disclosing her feelings to me instead of speaking to her daughter, but if I had to guess, I would say that she was probably hoping that I would carry the message for her. Maybe she felt uncomfortable sharing her deepest thoughts after having ignored Bella for so long or maybe she could see the depth of my feelings for Bella, realized that I was here to stay, and wanted to make me understand her side of the story.

I had no idea what exactly went on in her mind, but Bella's happiness would always be my priority. I was quite sure that if Renee was genuinely willing to take a step toward repairing their relationship, Bella would welcome her efforts.

"For what it's worth," I said lightly. "I'm glad for Bella's interest in medicine, as that was what brought her to me in the first place."

She chuckled. "Well, it all turned out okay, then."

"You know-" I hesitated. "All you have to do is call her once in a while, and listen to her when she tells you about her life. That's all she wants. She misses you, but she's afraid to call because every time you tell her you're busy, she feels…"

Renee bit her lip, looking so much like her daughter in that moment that I had to stifle a smile. "I didn't even realize, or think… She's always been so self-sufficient that I never-"

"That she is," I agreed. "But what girl doesn't want to vent to her mother about college, friends, or hell, her boyfriend?"

"Maybe… maybe I could do that now," she said hopefully, and I smiled at her encouragingly.

Her phone rang, and she excused herself to answer it. I made a beeline toward the kitchen.

"That was… something," Bella remarked, turning to face me.

"I knew you were listening." I smirked.

She stretched her arm, and I quickly entwined our fingers. "Do you think she's serious about mending fences?"

"Looks like it," I whispered. "It's up to her to make the first move, but after that, the ball is in your court, baby. What you want to do is entirely up to you, and I will always have your back." I kissed her softly.

"Thank you," she breathed, leaning in to press her face into my chest.

I held her tightly until the clank of heels heralded Renee's arrival. We finished the clean up quickly, and headed out to the living room. We chatted for a little while, and I was happy to see Renee making an effort to know more about Bella's life. Obviously, it was too soon to tell whether she would stick to her promise, but I knew Bella would be very happy to have her in her life.

And that was all that mattered to me.

~ % ~

"How is Julia doing?" I asked Emmett, referring to the woman who was now carrying his and Rosalie's baby. "And Rose?"

He smiled widely. "We accompanied Julia to her check-up yesterday, and everything looks just fine. It's far too early right now, but we're hoping for the best. Rosie is… well, there are some moments where she looks at Julia wistfully, and I know where her mind goes. I just try my best to be there to remind her that at the end of this, we'll have our little one in our arms, and that's all it takes to bring the light back to her eyes. It's a fine line we're walking, trying to be optimistic after so many unsuccessful attempts, but thankfully, Julia doesn't mind our fussing too much."

"That's great, Em."

Jasper walked in before I could say anything further. It was the first time we were seeing him after his conversation with Alice, so Em and I straightened up and looked at him expectantly. He sighed, plopping down on a chair, and gave us the highlights of what went on between him and Alice yesterday.

"Friends, huh?"

"Yeah," Jasper sighed. "Alice said she can't trust me just yet, and maybe we went about things the wrong way earlier. It was all too fast. She wants to take it slow this time around, get to know each other properly without any pressure or expectations, and then decide if we're compatible enough to get into a committed relationship. I know I should be grateful she's willing to give me a second chance, and believe me, I _am_. Still, I can't help but think that this sucks, and I'm the sole person responsible for it. I had it all with her, and if I hadn't been so stupid… "

"It's in the past, Jas. You know better now," I said, clapping his shoulder. "And she's right. This way, you'll have a stronger foundation to build your relationship upon. Right, Em?"

"Absolutely!" Emmett agreed.

" _If_ she even wants to give it a shot. This time, I'll be honest with her, and show her the real me, but there's no guarantee that she'll even like what she sees," Jasper fretted.

"Take it one day at a time," Emmett suggested. "Follow her lead, and don't overthink it. Just be her friend, be honest, and leave the decision-making to her. She's worth the effort, isn't she?"

"Of course!"

"Then charm the pants, uh… socks off her!" Emmett whooped, and Jasper smacked the back of his head.

I left them to their devices, and headed off to OR 2 for my scheduled surgeries. It was several hours later that I made my way back toward the lounge. I tilted my head sideways, cracking the stiff joints, when my phone rang.

I smiled when I saw the display. "Hey, baby."

"Hi, handsome. I was thinking, is there any way you can keep those scrubs on for a few more hours? They do flatter your… form, shall we say?"

My eyes widened at her bold words. They were so unlike her, but made me ecstatic nonetheless that she felt comfortable enough to say them to me.

Then I realized that she'd said 'those' scrubs.

I swerved around, and there she was.

"Hey, you!" She walked right into my arms with a big smile, and planted her mouth on mine.

"Mmmm," I sighed, sucking on her lower lip before pulling away reluctantly. "Now this is a very pleasant surprise."

She licked her lips, raking her leering eyes up and down my body. "Indeed."

I barked out a surprised laugh. "What has gotten into you today?"

"Well, _someone_ informed Rosalie about the tense dinner we had last night, and about Alice being upset after talking to Jasper today, leading Rose to come over and take Ali and I out for a whole lot of pampering at the spa." She cocked an eyebrow. "We had a wonderful day, and I figured that _someone_ deserves a little reward for being so thoughtful, so here I am."

I pulled her into the lounge - which, fortunately, was empty. "Well, you _are_ the best kind of reward that he could have asked for," I whispered against her neck, pulling the supple skin into my mouth.

"I'm glad you think so," she gasped, knotting her fingers in my hair. She pulled my face back up, and our lips came together, sucking, gliding, nipping, and tasting again and again and again. We broke apart after a few minutes, pressing our foreheads together as we breathed heavily.

"You ready to go?" she asked me with a coy smile.

"Absolutely."

Before we could leave, my pager chimed.

"ER? I'm not on call," I muttered. "I'm sorry, baby."

"It's okay, Edward. I'll wait."

I asked her to come with me, hoping it would be something minor, and then we could leave. When I got there, the nurse indicated that a patient had requested to see me. Still confused, I made my way to the bed she indicated, and pulled the curtain back, only to be greeted by a squeal.

"Dr. Cullen!"

"Katie! What are you doing here?"

She held up her plastered arm and grimaced. "I fell."

Jenny smiled. "Hey, Edward. Sorry to bother you, but Katie was really insistent about seeing you."

"Princess Belle!" Katie almost shouted, waving eagerly at Bella.

"Looks like I've been replaced now," I chuckled as Bella made her way over to the bed. Katie started chatting up a storm, and Bella indulged her happily.

"She hasn't been having any neurological problems, has she?" I asked Jenny.

"No, she's been absolutely fine," she replied with a smile. "She just took a tumble down the stairs while chasing her friend. Sometimes, this girl just likes to scare the hell out of me."

I shook my head, relieved. "Well, now that you're here anyway, I'll give her an exam, just in case."

"Thank you."

I checked Katie's reflexes, and like Jenny said, she was just fine. It had been nothing but a missed step. All the while, she continued regaling Bella with stories of the other princesses, and why Belle was her favorite. I smiled as I saw Bella nod and giggle at all the right places, not the least bit bored with Katie's antics.

It was crazy how drastically my life had turned around in a matter of three months. In this very hospital, Bella crashed back into my life over a year after I'd lost all hope of ever seeing her again. The circumstances couldn't have been more terrible, but she pulled through, and now here we were.

Lost as I was in my thoughts, I was startled when she came to stand at my side. An orthopedic resident was talking to Jenny, giving her instructions about their follow-up visits.

"Shall we?" Bella asked, taking my hand.

I nodded, and we bid goodbye to Katie.

"You have a promise to keep, Miss Swan," I reminded her as we walked out of the building.

"I fully intend to follow through, Dr. Cullen." She winked, and kissed my cheek. She lifted her pace, tugging me quicker, and I followed with a grin.

In her friendship, I recovered my lost faith.

In her forgiveness, I found hope.

In her love, I discovered my happiness.

As she turned to look at me with an impish smile, in her sparkling eyes, I saw my future.

I couldn't wait to find out how beautiful it was going to be.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it. Lots of things went on in this chapter. I thought about splitting it into two, but then decided to lay it on you all together. I hope you didn't mind and that you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think!**

 **Next up – the epilogue.**

 **Gah, I can't believe this is almost over! It started off as a surprise to thank my readers who voted and made it possible for me to get my first fandom award, and now here we are!**

 **On that note, I have been informed that I have moved on to the** **Second Round of the TWIFIC FANDOM AWARDS** **! That has never happened before, so yep… I'm pretty excited! Polls open this Sunday, November 15. Leave me a vote, wouldn't ya?**

 **See you all next week!**


	20. Epilogue

**A/N: START OVER has advanced to the Second Round in "FAVORITE UNDISCOVERED GEM FIC" category at the TwiFic Fandom Awards. Several readers said they've voted for me, and I'm so thankful to everyone for the support :) You still have until November 21** **st** **to show some love for your favorites. There are some** ** _amazing_** **nominees out there. Good way to build up your TBR lists!**

* * *

I stood in front of the mirror, holding a red tie in one hand and a silver one in the other. I held each one up against my chest, pursing my lips as I tried to figure out which one would go better with my deep blue suit.

"Need some help, sweetheart?"

I whirled at the sound of my mother's voice. She was leaning against the door frame with her hands folded across her chest and an amused smile on her face.

"I can't figure out which one would look better," I muttered sheepishly.

She walked in, and looked at the two options thoughtfully. "I'd pick the red one. It would bring a much-needed pop of color to the outfit." She nodded.

I shrugged, tossed the silver one aside and started tying the red tie around my neck. When I was done, Mom reached out to fold the collar over it.

Placing one hand over my cheek, she looked into my eyes with a smile. "You look wonderful. Very handsome."

I huffed out a laugh. "Thanks, Mom."

"Nervous?"

"More than words can express."

She smiled knowingly. "It's a big day for Bella."

"It sure is. Everything she has ever wanted is within her reach now."

"And she doesn't even know half of it."

I sighed. "I hope this is what she wants."

"Nobody knows her better than you do, Edward. If you think that you both are ready for this, then I'm sure she must feel the same way. Everything will be okay."

"Promise?" I couldn't help but ask, even though I felt like a five-year old boy instead of the forty-year old man I was.

She chuckled. "I promise. Now you better get ready to leave. You don't want to be late for the ceremony."

I glanced at my watch and nodded. "We'll see you guys after?"

"Of course. We wouldn't miss it for the world."

I tried to tame the wild mess that was my hair, but I knew I'd end up wasting my efforts by running a hand through it all day. I shrugged, not really concerned about it.

 _Bella seemed to prefer it unruly anyway._

I grabbed my ticket, bid goodbye to my parents, and headed out. The traffic Gods seemed to be smiling down upon me, so it took me no more than half an hour to reach my destination.

I stepped out of the car, buttoned my jacket, and made my way inside. Walking across the campus, I pulled out my phone, and dialed Charlie's number. He informed me of his location, and I followed the arrows toward where he said he was seated.

I found him without much difficulty, greeting him with a half-hug. We'd grown pretty close in the last eight years. I could still remember with perfect clarity the way he had pushed me against my own door when he had come running all the way from Forks, worried about me taking advantage of his daughter, but he had softened up considerably toward me over the years. I knew it had everything to do with the way I treated Bella- with complete respect and unending devotion. There was also the fact that I had unerringly fulfilled the promise I'd given him – supporting Bella in every step she took toward the life and career she wanted, without influencing her decisions.

We had visited Forks at least once every year, sometimes more, and both our sets of parents were always happy to see us. Mom showered Bella with her love, and Dad beamed with pride whenever Bella told him about her accomplishments in school. Spending a few days in Charlie's home was also on the agenda in every one of our trips, and it was only the last couple of times that I had been officially allowed to forego the couch in favor of Bella's room.

"You made it," Charlie said, clapping me on the back. "Just in time."

"Yeah," I said, relieved, and took my seat. "I got stuck in an emergency surgery in the morning, and it ran a little later than I'd assumed it would. I rushed home and got changed as soon as I could."

"Edward!" I turned around just in time for Renee to latch onto me.

I hugged her back. "Renee. It's good to see you."

She pulled back, looking me over with a grin. "Well, well. Don't you look handsome! This is the kind of suit to buy, Charlie - one that fits your body perfectly. Now, do you understand what I was saying earlier?"

"Good God, woman!" he muttered, rubbing at his mustache in what I knew was a nervous gesture. "All these years, and you still can't stop pestering about me!"

I sat back and stifled a smile as they launched into what was obviously a continuation of their argument that must have been going on before my arrival. I thanked my good fortune that my assigned seat was beside Charlie, and not in between the two of them, or God forbid, beside Renee.

Watching Renee go at it reminded me of the day I'd met her for the first time. She had been her usual flighty and talkative self, until I'd pointed out that her behavior toward her daughter needed to be rectified. I would be lying if I said that her relationship with Bella changed for the better immediately after that night. Renee made an effort to change, but it didn't take long for her to fall back to old patterns sometimes. There were some days where Bella would come to me, frustrated with her mother's inability to listen to her, but what did change was that Renee started to realize when she was doing it. That would lead to a couple of extra calls or e-mails that week, and they would bring the smile back to my sweet girl's face.

All in all, they managed to cultivate a relationship that was still not one hundred percent solid, but was much stronger than it had previously been.

It was only when the MC announced the beginning of the ceremony that Renee gave up on explaining the cuts and lines of a perfect suit to Charlie. We settled into a steady round of applause as a stream of students started arriving to collect their diplomas after a motivational speech by the keynote speaker.

It took quite a while before they got to the medical students, and several more minutes until they reached the S's, but finally, _finally_ , she was there.

I watched with immense pride as my Bella walked across the stage in her pale blue robe and cap. Her head was held high with a smile lighting up her beautiful features. She shook hands with the Chancellor, while taking her hard-earned diploma from him. She waved once in our general direction before tipping her head back and looking up at the sky for a few seconds. I smiled slightly at the gesture. She was remembering her Nana. I, too, sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the wonderful woman who had loved Bella unconditionally and played the most important part in making her what she was today. I would always regret never having a chance to meet her and tell her that in person. I had no doubts that wherever she was, she would be immensely proud of her granddaughter today.

The rest of the list seemed to pass as slowly as the first half. It was over an hour later that the ceremony ended with the new graduates throwing their caps in the air in celebration. The crowd was massive. It would be next to impossible to find Bella, so we decided to stay put. Finding us would be much easier for her, since she knew the area where our seats were. It also gave me a chance to speak to Charlie privately, while Renee called Phil.

"I, uh," I stammered. "Today's the day."

It didn't surprise me the least bit when he understood what I was talking about without any further explanation. It had been just last week that I had called him to ask for his blessing, after all. I could safely assume that the topic must have been swirling in his mind ever since I had put it before him.

"A new beginning, huh? In more than one sense," he said gruffly. "You remember our conversation at the hospital, don't you? Do I need to refresh your about what will happen if you hurt her?"

I chuckled. "I remember it perfectly, Sir. I have no intentions of going back on my word."

He nodded, and held out a hand. "Good luck."

Two slender arms wrapped tightly around my waist before I could thank him. I turned only to come face-to-face with a smiling Bella, and it was the most beautiful sight in my world. She jumped up to her toes and pressed her lips to mine firmly.

"Congratulations," I mumbled against her lips, kissing her back with fervor, but broke apart when she stroked my tongue with hers. I placed a quick peck on her pouting lip. "Later," I promised in a whisper, as we both calmed our breathing, recalling the presence of her parents. She let go of me with a saucy wink.

She moved over to her parents, hugging them tightly as they congratulated her. We started walking toward the parking lot, stopping a couple of times as a few of Bella's friends came by to exchange promises of keeping in touch.

"Are you guys coming home with us?" She looked at her parents inquiringly, who in turn looked toward me. Bella realized this and turned to me with raised eyebrows.

The word 'home' tumbling from her lips would never fail to excite me, it seemed. It had been over six years since she had moved in with me, but the idea of us sharing a house, and more importantly, a life together still managed to get my heart racing.

On second thought, it probably had to do with the fact that in an hour or so, I was going to ask her to take the next and final step in binding our lives together forever. That was probably what had the nerves coiling nice and tight in the pit of my stomach, instead of the fluttering I imagined in my heart.

"We're not going home just yet," I explained. "There might be a little something planned for you."

She sighed dramatically. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because you know me well." I snickered, while kissing her forehead and opening the car door for her.

Renee and Charlie settled in the backseat, and I pulled out of the lot. Bella spent most of the drive convincing me to tell her where we were going, even though I reminded her that she would be finding that out very soon. Once she realized her exercise was pointless, she moved on to chatting with her parents about the best wishes her professors had given her before the ceremony.

Bella's eyes lit up when she saw where I parked the car. Discarding her robe in the car, she jumped out excitedly, making me ecstatic to know that I'd picked the right location.

Hand-in-hand, we crossed the entrance of Central Park, and I led her over to where our family and friends had assembled.

"Congratulations!"

They greeted us with loud cheers, and Bella stepped forward to hug everyone. It was a small gathering, intimate and simple, but the atmosphere was filled with love and happiness. I saw Charlie heading straight for the table decked out with various types of finger foods, Emmett following in tow. Rosalie, Mom and Dad chatted with Bella regarding the graduation ceremony, while I greeted Phil.

A little body collided with my legs, and I looked down to see a blond-haired beauty grinning at me, showing off her two broken teeth. I knelt down to hug her. "Hey, Maddie! My gosh! You're getting taller every day."

"Uncle Edward!" She planted a kiss on my cheek. "Momma says I'm going to be as tall as Daddy."

I chuckled at her proud little face, the spitting image of Rosalie. "Well, I'd have to agree, especially with the way you're growing up so fast."

I caught up with Maddie for a few more minutes, before she ran away, squealing, to say hi to Bella.

Jasper grabbed me a beer, and I thanked him, taking in a big gulp.

"No Leah today?" I asked him, trying to sound nonchalant, though I was anything but.

He shrugged. "Nope. We ended it last week. Well, _she_ ended it. She said she needed more, and I couldn't give her that."

I clapped his shoulder, secretly a little relieved at the turn of events. Leah was kind and sweet, but she wasn't _the one_ for Jasper. I looked at my friend carefully, thinking about the changes that the past few years had brought in him.

Following the debacle with Maria, Alice and Jasper had remained friends for almost a year, before giving their relationship another chance. Slowly, but surely, Alice's faith in him made him realize that he was a good person who was capable of loving and being loved. He let go of the irrational fears he had held on to for all his adult life and committed himself to their relationship.

The cracks started to appear, however, when Alice was in her last semester of under-grad. She had applied for admission into a Masters' program at a prestigious university in Italy without speaking to Jasper about it. When he found the acceptance letter, it had resulted in a huge argument. For almost a week, they weren't on speaking terms, but eventually got together to have a clear discussion about their future. Jas never relayed all the details, but he did say that he ended up proposing marriage to keep her with him, and Alice did not appreciate him wanting to tie her down. She wanted to make the decision best suited to her career, and Jasper was reluctant to give up the life he had here.

They parted ways on relatively friendly terms, but it was the hardest decision each of them had ever made. Alice kept in touch for a while, and we were all glad to hear that she was enjoying her new courses. At the same time, we couldn't help but worry that Jasper would fall back into his old routine. We were willing to do whatever it took to prevent that from happening.

But he surprised us all.

It was a few months after their break-up when he finally expressed an interest in someone else, but when he did, he did it the right way. There were dates that didn't end in a quick fuck, and promises to call that actually materialized into reality. Emmett cautiously asked him about it once, and I was actually glad for it. I had been curious, but hesitant to ask, lest I rock the shaky boat.

"Alice left, but the parts of me that she unearthed are still here," Jasper had replied calmly. "Being with her made me see that I could be so much more than what I expected of myself. She made me question a lot of deep-rooted assumptions, and even though she's gone, I'm not going to give up on myself. She will always hold a special place in my heart, but I won't lose the hope that she awakened in me - the hope of finding happiness and true love."

He had been in a few relationships since then, but none of them had lasted over a year. I suspected that subconsciously, Jas was still holding onto the hope that Alice would return, but never voiced the thought, except in front of Bella. I knew she was saddened to have lost her friend, but keeping up a friendship across the ocean was a daunting task. With both of them juggling their very busy schedules, they slowly drifted apart as their calls and e-mails dwindled.

"Anyway," Jasper sighed, pulling me back to the present. "It wasn't ugly or anything. Leah didn't yell or curse, just calmly told me that this wasn't working for her anymore."

"I'm sorry," I offered honestly. I _was_ sorry that he was hurting, even though I was hoping for something along these lines.

Not because of Leah, of course. Like I said, she was nice.

But I had watched my friend fall hard for a girl years ago, and I knew that he had never felt the same for anyone else since then. It was extremely hard, for this very reason, to keep my mouth shut about the surprise I had in store for everyone today, but I had made a promise.

I almost jumped when my phone buzzed with an incoming text. I smiled widely on reading it. Quickly replying to the person on the other end, I called out for Bella.

She rushed to my side, all wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "What's up?"

I couldn't resist pressing a lingering kiss against her rosy skin. My heart thrummed in contentment at seeing her so happy. "Told you I had a surprise for you."

Her brow furrowed adorably. "Isn't this it?" she asked, waving a hand toward our family.

My eyes fell over her shoulder, and I grinned at the sight that greeted me. I took Bella's drink out of her hand and turned her around by the shoulders.

"There's the second part of your surprise," I whispered in her ear.

I watched and heard her sharp intake of breath as her gaze fell over Alice's petite form standing a few feet away. Alice smiled tentatively and waved. Bella was frozen for a moment, before she turned to me, her expression one of incredulity.

I nodded and mouthed, "Go on."

She whirled back to face her friend. This time, she walked toward Alice with quick, long strides, and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

I shifted my attention over to Jasper, who was standing still as a statue with his mouth hanging open, as he gazed in disbelief at the sight before him. I patted his back, and it thawed him out of his trance.

"How… why…" he stuttered.

"She's here to stay, Jas," I told him softly. "She put in a request for a transfer, and didn't want to tell anyone until it was approved. When she finally received the confirmation two days ago, she called me first, wanting to surprise Bella."

He swallowed hard. "Just-uh, just Bella?"

"That's what she said, but there might have been some roundabout questions about how 'everyone else' was doing. I did tell her about all of us one-by-one, but I knew she wasn't really satisfied until she'd heard about you."

Jasper's eyes widened. "What did you tell her?"

"Just the very basics. I told her that she would have to ask you herself if she wanted to know more about your personal life," I assured him.

"Okay," he exhaled. "Okay, good. You really think she's going to stay?"

"I do."

Bella and Alice approached us, putting an end to the conversation. Alice greeted me with a warm hug, and said hello to Jasper with a small, hopeful smile. Bella grabbed my hand and tugged me away, leaving them alone to catch up.

"That was an amazing surprise, Edward." She grinned and kissed me deeply. "Thank you so much, baby! You've made this day exceedingly special for me."

"The day isn't over yet, Miss Swan." I nuzzled her nose with mine.

"Let's go and enjoy it then."

The next two hours passed in a flurry of good food, laughter, and recollection of happy memories. Renee and Emmett bantered back and forth, keeping us entertained with their antics, while Alice regaled us with her experiences in Italy, and her hopes and dreams for the new job she was about to start next week.

Every time my gaze fell on Jasper, I found his attention fixed on Alice, while she, too, stole furtive glances at him. Bella and I exchanged matching grins at their not-so-covert interactions.

As twilight fell upon us, the sky took on hues of orange intermixed with streaks of purple. I looked around, and everyone seemed to be engrossed in their conversations. I stood up to toss my empty can into the bin, and Bella followed.

"Take a walk with me?" I asked, clasping her hand.

"Are we allowed to leave our own party?" she asked playfully.

"It won't take long," I persuaded, and she smiled, agreeing easily.

We were silent as I led her along the path. The nerves that had settled into the back of my mind during the day returned with a vengeance as we neared our destination. Bella must have noticed my preoccupation, but she didn't comment on it, leaving me to my thoughts.

She sighed happily, swinging our hands between us as we reached the Bow Bridge. Leaning against the rail, she wrapped an arm around my waist and snuggled into my side.

I swallowed to dislodge the sudden lump in my throat, and pulled away from her. Bella frowned as I disentangled myself from her arms, taking her hands in mine instead.

"Edw-"

I placed a finger against her lips. "I have to tell you something."

She inhaled deeply, and then nodded, even though I could tell she was confused at my behavior.

She didn't suspect what I was about to ask because it had been a long time since we had discussed this topic. It came up when Alice and Jasper broke up. We had been living together for almost two years, and I would have thought that by that point, we were completely secure in our relationship, but I was proven wrong. Their break-up affected us quite a bit because we knew that it could have been us. Those reasons could just have easily forced _us_ apart.

It led us to have a frank, open, and honest conversation about where we saw ourselves five years down the line. Bella informed me that Columbia would be her first choice for medical school because she loved the life and friends we had in the city. I was ecstatic to hear that, and promised her in return that for her residency, and later her fellowship, I would happily follow her wherever she wished to pursue it.

On the personal front, we were one hundred percent committed to each other, but marriage was something Bella was not completely sure about. She had seen Renee make a mess of it time and again, and it made her a little wary, though not absolutely opposed to the idea. As far as I was concerned, I had gone that route before, and I knew that rushing into a marriage only made it susceptible to failure. I had Bella's love and her commitment, and it was more than enough. I didn't need an official piece of paper to validate our feelings for each other.

So the matter had been dropped for all these years.

Now that Bella had been accepted into the Presbyterian for her residency, our plan for the next several years, at least, was clear. I had seen the way Bella looked at a couple of weddings we had attended last year, and watched as the wariness had been gradually replaced by wonder, and maybe even longing.

After eight years together, I knew every dip and curve of her face, and as I saw her now, I _knew_ she was ready.

We were ready for this.

Still, as I looked into her eyes, something akin to nervousness bubbled up in my chest, and I had to squeeze her hands to draw the strength to continue. There were a few people passing by around us, but I pushed them out of my mind easily, focusing only on the breathtaking woman before me.

I took in a deep breath.

"Bella, right before I met you, I was at the lowest point of my life. I had lost all hope of ever finding love, doubting even its existence. I'd been trying to let go of the ideals I had believed in since my childhood, and then… and then you walked into my world. I'd forgotten how to breathe, and you brought me back to life. I had given up on my dreams, and you taught me how to hope. You, my beautiful Bella, were the only ray of sunshine in the dreariness of my life back then, and it was your smile, your joy, and your strength that made it possible for me to break through the walls that had captured my heart. It was at this very place that we took our first picture together, commemorating the day when you gave me hope - hope for your forgiveness, and for a second chance at love. You have given me so much, and today, I ask you for one more thing."

Pulling the little velvet box out of my pocket, I lowered myself down to one knee, and looked up at the deep, glimmering, chocolate pools of her eyes. "Isabella Marie Swan, will you please give me a chance to make you happy for as long as we both shall live? Will you let me spend the rest of my life with you and love you forever? Will you marry me?"

My eyes welled up as she nodded frantically. Her lips stretched into a wide smile, yet they quivered in tune with the beads of tears that fell from her eyes. "Yes, yes, yes to all of it," she choked out. It was a whisper, but the words reverberated in my soul louder than they would have if she'd shouted them.

People around us clapped and cheered, and we acknowledged them with a quick smile, unable to tear our eyes away for each other's for a second more than absolutely necessary.

I grabbed the ring from the box, and slowly placed it over her finger. I watched the diamonds glitter against her porcelain skin, and I could wait no longer. Pulling myself up to my feet, I cupped her smiling face in my hands, and pressed my mouth to hers. Her arms came up to slide around my neck, the cool metal of her ring making its presence known distinctly against my skin. She pressed herself closer to me until there wasn't a hairsbreadth of space between us, as our lips moved synchronously, conveying every bit of our love for each other – deep, astounding, and everlasting love, that mere words failed to describe.

We kissed for a long while, unhurried because we knew we had a lifetime of this to look forward to. When we broke apart, I pressed my forehead to hers as we gasped and panted through the smiles that continued to tug at our lips.

We stood there, wrapped up in each other for a few more minutes, before we had to go and share the news with our friends and families. They must've been waiting on pins and needles, but I indulged myself in this moment alone with the love of my life… now my fiancée.

I remembered when I gave her the stethoscope for our first Christmas together. It was the day I'd asked her for a second chance. I recalled the little poem I'd found - the one that asked for a chance to start over. Thinking about it now, I realized we weren't really starting over. Our relationship wasn't built on a clean slate, but on the foundation of the honest friendship we'd cultivated during that first summer in Forks. It was a journey that started with a few innocent interactions and led us here - to each other, and the kind of love that grabbed hold of our hearts, and bound them together forever.

"I love you, Edward," Bella whispered, her voice choked up with emotion that I could feel pouring out of my very soul. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you, too, Bella," I promised with all my heart.

"Forever."

* * *

 **A/N: That's it, guys!**

 **This fic marks a lot of firsts for me, so allow me to get a little sappy here ;)**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 -** _You've been my friend, supporter, cheerleader, and critic throughout this fic, and I can't thank you enough! From frantic discussions about dorm rooms and sleeping arrangements, to my smut-related insecurities, you've held my hand through it all._

 **Melissa (TwilightFanatic85)** – _You've worked with me through sickness, vacations, faulty e-mails, and irregular updates. Thanks a lot for all your help!_

I'm very grateful to **_Diane (OTB)_** **and** ** _Sue (CSG_** **)** _for making the lovely banners_ for this story!

 _ **Tarbecca and Zveka**_ … _It means a lot to me that you considered my fic worthy of your recommendations._

 **And last, but definitely not the least, YOU, my dear readers –** _Thank you for your support for this little story of mine :) Those of you who left reviews in every chapter, your kind words are what kept me going through exams and other RL issues, and gave me the motivation to write as regularly as possible. I appreciate it more than I can say._

 **So… what's next, you ask? (Or don't ask… it's up to you :P) Disguised Intentions will be my priority until I finish it, and that is a long while away. It's VERY different compared to Start Over. Check it out if you enjoy suspense stories.**

 **I have a few O/S ideas in mind, and I'll pen them as and when I can. If that is something you'd be interested in, please keep me on your Author Alerts.**

 **Ta-Ta for now!**


	21. Futuretake

**A/N: SURPRISE!**

 **Want a little peek into Olderward's life a few years later? Did you miss him? Well, Debbie, aka snoopylover60, certainly did, and she has been one of my loyal readers and reviewers for a long time now. How could I refuse?**

 **Dazzled Eyes22 was kind enough to pre-read this for me. Thank you, Danielle.**

 **All mistakes are mine, but The Twilight Saga belongs to S. Meyer.**

 **Happy reading :)**

* * *

I tilted my head to one side, studying the object in question carefully. I was doing just fine until a certain Emmett McCarty had walked into the room and made me doubt something I was absolutely sure of before his useless commentary.

"It's supposed to be the other way around, Edward," Emmett muttered for the umpteenth time, irritating me thoroughly.

"Will you just shut up? I'm doing it right, Em," I retorted. I pulled the two tabs closer with a flourish and they stuck together easily. "Aha!" I whooped triumphantly, shooting him a smug look.

Emmett frowned, coming closer until he was almost breathing in my ear. I pushed him away quickly. "I guess that looks about right."

I was about to throw a smartass comment at him when a tiny gurgle demanded our attention.

"Da-da-da-daa!"

I grinned in response to the wide, toothy one on my daughter's precious face. She raised her arms toward me, and I quickly lifted her up, twirling her little body around in the way that made her squeal in delight.

"Dada did it just right, didn't he?" I cooed to her. "You tell Uncle Em that after nine months of taking care of you, Dada knows very well how to put on a diaper, while Uncle Em seems to be having trouble even after having raised two kids of his own!"

"Hey now!" Emmett narrowed his eyes at me, sticking out his tongue for good measure. "Ollie's my girl! She'd never say that. Don't put words in her mouth! And that was simply a long string of 'da-da-da,' not Dada!"

I tickled Ollie's ear softly, eliciting my favorite giggle. "Don't you start, too! Bella already refused to acknowledge that as her first word. I don't need anyone else negating my daughter's achievements, you hear me? She clearly knows her Dada."

Emmett snickered. "Whatever, dude. Her first word's gonna be Em, you'll see. Isn't that right, pretty girl?" He reached out to take Ollie's hand and pretended to munch on it, while I snorted.

"I highly doubt that. Maybe if you'd learned the right way to put a diaper on, Maddie and Aaron would've picked Dada as their first word, too," I remarked.

He scowled. "Well, we just used the pull-up ones! Why would you even bother with these?"

I pursed my lips, rocking Olivia slightly on my hip. "I didn't buy these; Bella did."

I attempted to leave it at that, but Emmett took one look at the sheepish wince I tried but failed to suppress and wouldn't rest until I elaborated.

"I know there's a story there!" he said with a smirk. "You want to tell me and get this over with? If not, I could always ask Bella. She'll be home soon, right?"

I sighed, knowing that he wouldn't rest until he'd learned everything. I had to agree, it was best to get it over with now.

"Well," I started. "It happened a couple of weeks ago. Bella and I, we'd both had a very busy day, so we were almost dead on our feet by the time we went to bed. When Ollie needed a diaper change that night, I might've . . . pretended to be asleep, even though it was my turn to get up and despite the fact that Bella tried to wake me several times. When she returned to bed, she saw my leg twitch and realized that I wasn't really asleep. She didn't say anything then, so I might've done that . . . two more times after that night."

Emmett's eyes widened comically, followed by a moment of silence, and then he let out a full-blown belly laugh that shook his entire frame.

"So," he huffed out in between chortles. "So . . ."

I rolled my eyes. "So, in order to punish me for that little act, Bella decided to forego the pull-up diapers in favor of these when she went to the store last week. Since then, she has made sure to make herself scarce whenever Ollie decided to grace us with a poopy diaper, and I've had to relearn the methodology behind snapping thesediapers into place. Every time I do this, I'm hoping that my sweet Ollie doesn't start recalling her past habit, which she, thankfully, gave up once she'd crossed the three-month mark."

"Oh yeah!" Emmett wheezed out. "Those were the days, man! She wouldn't rest without giving the table a baptizing each time you took a little long with the fastenings, right? Gosh, it was as if she'd save a tiny bit to punish you if you didn't know what you were doing!"

I let out a light chuckle at the sprays Ollie would bestow upon us, though I guess it would've been much worse if we'd had a boy.

Time seemed to have flown by in the blink of an eye. Was it really nine months ago that Bella had woken me up from a deep sleep to inform me that her water had broken? It seemed like barely any time had passed since the day we'd rushed to the hospital with trepidation and excitement warring in our hearts, and Bella had spent eight taxing, yet exhilarating hours bringing our baby into the world. It was hard to believe that the day had already become a memory from the past.

The moment I'd held Olivia for the first time, her tiny, blue-grey eyes had peered at me curiously and held me captive in their depths, and I knew I would lay down my life without a second thought for my daughter. With her rosy cheeks, her dark brown mop of hair, and the slight upturn of her nose, she was the amalgamation of the very best parts of Bella and me. There was no doubt that from the moment I'd learned of her existence, she'd owned me, body and soul, and holding her in my arms, feeling her soft, warm weight nestled comfortably against my chest had cemented that truth even further into my heart.

Now, nine months later, those round eyes held forest green irises that mirrored my own and looked at me, alight with recognition that made my heart sing and thump harder in joy.

"Escaping delegated diaper duty was the biggest sin in the McCarty household, I tell you!" Emmett informed me.

"And yet, you don't seem to have gotten the hang of it," I announced, shaking my head in mock-censure.

Ollie let out a string of 'ya-ya-ya-ya' as though in agreement, which made Em and I forget our arguments and crack up. Having received an encouraging response, she elevated her chanting to a higher volume and threw in a few claps for added effect.

"Hey, gossip girls!" Rose called as she peeked in. "What's going on? I see Edward had Ollie to tend to, but what are you doing in there, Em? You wouldn't be trying to get out of helping me in the kitchen, would you? We still have to garnish the dishes."

I pressed my lips together to hide a laugh as Emmett shook his head. "Of course not, Rosie. Put me to work, baby."

Rosalie threw us a wink and a smile before heading toward the kitchen with Emmett hot on her heels.

I turned to my baby girl. "I'd say Uncle Em is whipped, huh, Ollie?" She babbled and patted my cheek in response. "Yeah, who am I kidding? Your Mama has me eating out of her hand most of the time, but we wouldn't want it any other way, would we?" I nuzzled her nose with mine and pressed a kiss to her chubby cheek.

"Da," Ollie affirmed happily.

I carried her to the living room, where Maddie and Aaron were busy arguing over some TV show. As soon as I placed Ollie in her swing, their attention refocused on her. Maddie fetched Ollie's favorite toys and Aaron started making silly faces, which had my little girl giggling in no time. I fastened the belts securely around her waist and left them to their own devices.

Emmett walked out of the kitchen with two platefuls of finger foods, swiping a couple of rolls into his mouth behind Rosalie's back before placing them on the table.

"Hey, I meant to ask you about why we're having this shindig here instead of Jasper's and Alice's place," he wondered, licking some mayonnaise off his finger.

I shrugged. "Jasper had booked a private dining room for all of us a couple of weeks ago. He didn't tell Alice, wanting to keep the party a surprise. Then, she was informed that her boss needed her to head over to Vancouver this weekend for checking their latest supplies, so Jasper cancelled his reservation. Just last night, Alice came to know that her trip had to be cancelled for some reason, which left her free to celebrate her birthday with all of us, but Jasper couldn't find a suitable location at such short notice."

Emmett hummed. "So it's still a surprise for her? That's why he couldn't keep it at their apartment?"

"Exactly. Bella was more than happy to help when Jasper called us last night."

"I can see that," Rose stated, depositing a couple of more plates onto the dining table. Emmett reached out to sample the new dishes and was promptly warded off with a smack on his hand. He pouted, but then went over to join the kids in their games. "That wife of yours is a miracle. How she manages to handle her job and her family so perfectly every day is a wonder. Plus, she managed to prep all this stuff for us to eat tonight at such short notice. Amazing!"

"That she is," I replied, a proud smile spreading over my face.

"I hope you helped her," she informed me. "This looks like a lot of work to have been done in just a couple of hours."

"Of course I did!" I asserted with a smirk. "I can't cook for shit, but I'll have you know that all the washing, chopping, and heating was entirely my doing. Bella handled the tougher jobs, though."

Rose snickered, patting my arm. "Good husband. Mine could learn a thing or two from you," she called out a tad louder.

"Ha!" Emmett exclaimed, without turning his attention away from the kids. "Ask him to tell you which diapers he's using these days."

I glared at his back, while Rose turned to me with a raised eyebrow. I just shook my head at her. "You don't want to hear it."

"Uh-huh," she intoned, but, fortunately, let the matter drop.

"Do you need any more help in there?" I pointed to the kitchen, and she waved me off.

"Oh, no, it's all done now. What time did Jasper say he's bringing Alice here? And what about Bella?"

"Bella's shift will end in a few minutes from now, so she should be here in half an hour. Jasper said they'll be here by five."

"Right. I'll just go and freshen up, then." Rose checked up on her kids before heading into the washroom.

I pulled out my phone and smiled when a text arrived from Bella's phone, letting me know that she was on her way.

I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest and smiling at the way Emmett almost transformed into a kid himself while playing with our little ones. At eleven, Maddie was still the spitting image of her mother, not only in terms of her physical appearance, but also her temperament. She was the one to attempt to discipline her father and her four year-old brother in Rose's absence. Aaron, on the other hand, took after his father. His blond hair was the only thing he'd inherited from Rose. The way his blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief and the manner in which he teased everyone around him left no doubts that he was Emmett's son through and through.

I pondered over Rosalie's words as I watched Em and Aaron wrestle playfully on the floor, as Maddie watched with a slight grimace. Olivia had no such concerns, clapping in glee at the sight.

Sometimes as I went about my day and listened to Bella describe hers, I'd, too, be struck by just how amazing she was. Bella's pregnancy hadn't been a planned one. Initially, we'd decided to wait until she'd finished her residency to start trying, but our Ollie was too impatient to wait.

It was in her fourth year of residency that I'd received a panicky phone call from my wife, asking me to come home as soon as possible. When I walked in, I'd found her in the bathroom, holding the pregnancy test in her hand and fear flashing in her eyes. Once we'd talked at length, that fear morphed into a spark of happiness so beautiful that I knew I'd do anything and everything in my power to help her through this.

I knew this was _right_ , as did Bella.

Olivia Marianne Cullen had been a surprise, but she couldn't have been a more welcome one.

We knew we'd been granted a blessing, but that didn't mean that life laid down a rosy path for us to enjoy it. Thankfully, the pregnancy had been an easy one, and Bella didn't have too much trouble working at the hospital until the time of her maternity leave. The only downside was the extreme fatigue she felt after a shift. I tried my best to help her through those months by means of lazy baths, back and foot massages, late-night snuggles, and loads of ice cream.

We got through thirty-eight weeks of cravings, crankiness, cramps, and contentment, and soon enough, we had our baby in our arms. My parents and Bella's had flown in, taking turns to help us tackle the first month. Eventually, we'd gotten the hang of a schedule that worked perfectly for our little family.

It'd been hard for Bella to leave Ollie for long lengths of time and go back to work after her leave was over, but she was somewhat excited, too, for the final year of her medical education.

The sound of the doorbell brought me back to the present. I answered it, revealing an anxious Jasper and a smiling Alice on the other side.

"Happy Birthday!" I cheered, wrapping her in a hug, while Jasper let himself in.

"Thank you, Edward." Alice replied, kissing my cheek.

When she walked in, her eyes widened at the sight of our living room. It wasn't much, but we'd decorated the walls a bit, and there were massive arrangements of her favorite flowers adorning the side tables. Maddie and Aaron rushed forward to hug and wish Alice, as did Rose and Em. I turned my attention to Jasper and met his eyes with a questioning glare. He simply nodded toward the balcony.

"Where's Bella?" Alice asked in the midst of ooh-ing and aah-ing over each of the decorative items the kids pointed out.

"She'll be here soon," I told her, planting a kiss on Ollie's forehead before following Jasper out.

"What's up?" I asked him as soon as we were outside. I stood, looking at his profile as he leaned against the wall.

"I made a decision, and then had to change it, but now I've reverted back to the original idea. Then there was a small decision I'd made to support the first one, but now I've started to doubt that, too. All in all, I guess you can say that I'm freaking out," he said it all in one breath, ending the declaration with a jerky nod.

I simply gaped at him. My confusion grew with each nonsensical word that came out of his mouth. I squinted to make sense of his rushed diatribe, but came up blank.

"What?" I finally managed to say.

Jasper took a deep breath before facing me. He met my eyes nervously, gauging my reaction. "I'm proposing to Alice today."

"Whoa!" I exclaimed before I could contain myself. "I mean, that's great, Jas. I'm really happy for you."

"Really?"

I frowned, clapping his shoulder. "Of course! This is so sudden, though. I had no idea you were thinking about marriage."

He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. "Well, I've been thinking about it ever since Alice and I got back together, but I knew I had to wait until we were both secure enough in our relationship. I already fucked it all up so royally last time, so I didn't want to take any chances. I figure, five years is enough time, right?"

I nodded. "I think so. Alice is in a good place career-wise, too. Settling down now wouldn't scare her as it did all those years ago. You did it for all the wrong reasons last time. This time, you'll promise to bind your life to hers for no other reason than to show her how much you love her."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, Jas. My mom gave me some advice me the day I was about to propose to Bella. She said that I knew Bella, knew _us_ better than anyone else, just like you know Alice. If you feel that this is the right time and you're both ready for this, then have faith in the love you share, and go for it. The two of you are just right for each other. I truly believe that."

He breathed in another lungful of air. "Okay," he announced with a nod. "Thanks, Edward. I really needed to hear that."

"So that was the decision you'd made, then reconsidered and remade," I surmised. "What was the 'small decision' you were talking about?"

He shrugged. "I thought it would be nice to have you guys around when I propose. Both Alice's parents and mine aren't here, so I figured we should celebrate our special day with our family _here_. That's why I chose to do it today, while we're all together. Now . . . I'm wondering if that's such a good idea. What if she says no?" he muttered the last part anxiously.

"She won't," the sweetest voice replied from behind me, no hint of doubt in her tone.

I smiled, feeling my wife's arms wrap around my waist. I placed my hands over hers, giving them a gentle squeeze.

Bella greeted me with a loving smile and a soft kiss before turning to Jasper. "Trust me. She won't say no." She took Jasper's hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

Jasper allowed himself a small smile, looking much better as compared to when he first walked in.

"Hey!" Alice complained suddenly, stepping out onto the balcony. "What's going on here? Why are you all missing my party?"

Bella and I turned to Jasper, but his eyes were fixed solely on Alice. Bella gave my hand a light tug, and I took her cue, following her out while Jasper asked Alice to come closer to him in a trembling voice.

"Hey! Where did you all go? What is . . ." Emmett boomed, only to be interrupted by Bella.

"Shh! Stay here," she hissed at him, letting the door to the balcony fall close softly.

Olivia let out a whimper as soon as her eyes fell on Bella, and held out her hands in entreaty. Bella laughed and released the straps of the swing, lifting her into her arms and peppering soft kisses all over her cherubic face.

"Did you miss me, sweetheart? Mama missed you so much," she crooned, while I wrapped an arm around my girls.

"How was your day?" I asked Bella once Ollie had busied herself in tugging at a lock of her mother's hair.

Bella smiled, leaning her head against my shoulder. "It was . . . long, but exciting. I had three back to back surgeries today, and they went well. General Surgery is all about leaping from one organ to another, after all, instead of wasting time on one predictable organ." She snickered. "I can't wait to be done with my Boards, but at the same time, I get really apprehensive when I think about stepping out of the trainee shoes."

"You'll do great," I assured her, pressing my lips to her forehead. "Just like you always do."

"You might be _slightly_ biased, Dr. Cullen," she joked, even as her cheeks flushed at my praise.

"Just ask Rosalie what she was saying about you today. You'll have to believe it then."

Before she could respond, a loud squeal drew our attention, and for once, it wasn't Ollie who made the noise.

"I guess congratulations are in order!" Bella giggled as we watched Alice jump into Jasper's arms with so much enthusiasm that I was grateful they were standing so far inside from the railing.

"What's that?" Aaron looked between each of us, eyes wide and afraid.

"That's how Aunt Alice gets when she's really happy, bud," Maddie told him with a serious face. "You'll get used to it."

We were all chuckling at the solemn nod Aaron gave his sister when Alice bounced in with another squeal that had my little Olivia press herself closer to Bella's chest. I took her into my own arms as Alice skipped toward Bella. She wrapped Rose and her into a tight hug, already muttering something about her 'gorgeous' ring.

Dinner was a raucous, joyous affair with Alice's excitement growing until it'd almost taken a form of its own and joined us at the dining table. Jasper's eyes glittered with happiness as he watched his fiancée gush over his wonderful surprise. The gifts were almost anticlimactic after the proposal, but Alice's face glowed with excitement and gratitude nonetheless.

Bella's hand was wrapped in mine, and Olivia's head lay in the crook of my neck as we shared our joys with our closest friends. For the millionth time, my thoughts ran along the lines of how lucky I was to have found her and to have the honor of sharing the rest of my life with her.

Hours later, everyone had left and Bella returned after placing a deeply asleep Ollie in her crib, I sighed happily as she slipped beneath the covers and joined me in our bed. I pulled her into my side, running my fingers up and down her arm as she laid her head on my chest.

"You're taking a day-off next Friday, right?"

"Of course," she murmured, entwining our fingers over my stomach. "It's all settled. Bree agreed to cover my shift."

I tightened my arms around her, crushing her against my chest to ward off the melancholy thoughts that might creep into her mind.

Next weekend was the death anniversary of Bella's Nana. Every year on this day, we'd made it a point to visit her in Philadelphia, where she'd been laid to rest. Last year, however, we'd been unable to go because of the pregnancy, but this time, we'd cleared our schedules in advance.

"It's not wrong to take Ollie there, is it?" Bella asked me softly. "I just want Nana to see . . ."

"I don't see why we shouldn't," I assured her. "Olivia _Marianne_ Cullen gets her middle name from your Nana, after all. She played such a pivotal role in your childhood. She made you who you are today, and I'll be eternally grateful to her for giving you the love that Renee didn't. I'm sure Marie is watching over us and over our daughter every single day, but I understand why this would make you feel better. That's why we'll definitely take Ollie to visit her."

She sighed, snuggling closer as I felt her warm breath washing over my skin. "Thank you, Edward."

I pulled her face up with a gentle hand under a chin, and pressed my mouth to hers in a soft kiss. "Anytime, baby. Anything."

"I'd like to believe that she brought us together," Bella whispered against my lips, while her fingers stroked the light stubble on my cheek. "That day in the meadow . . . I was distraught, and you comforted me. It was the first time you allowed yourself to express what you truly felt for me."

I grimaced. "And then . . ."

She shook her head, kissing me again. "Don't think of that. We're together. That's all that matters."

Threading a hand through my hair, she brought my lips closer to hers, kissing away any and all bleak memories of the past, and letting her love wash over me until I could think of nothing but the beautiful future that lay ahead of us.

I lay back against the pillows, as Bella sat up and straddled my body. I slipped my fingers underneath the hem of her shorts while she tugged at her T-shirt and threw it to one side. My sleep pants quickly followed, and then we were kissing and moaning and whimpering as we reveled in the connection we shared with no one but each other.

Pulling her down, I let my lips explore the soft skin of her neck as her hands clawed at my back, making me gasp at the sharp sting of her nails over my shoulders. My fingers skimmed along the graceful curvature of her spine before moving forward to cup her breasts, circling her taut nipples. They were just a shade darker than they'd been before her pregnancy, but still incredibly beautiful.

Hands roamed, lips kissed, and fingers caressed until we were both thoroughly lost in each other. Our lips crashed together over and over as our fervor heightened. Soon, our teeth were nipping and tongues were stroking, rubbing, and teasing each other mercilessly.

My hips bucked involuntarily, aching for friction against my hardened length, and Bella responded with a loud moan, rocking herself firmly in my lap.

Once we could take it no more, she raised herself on her knees, grabbing hold of my erection in her soft hand, which made me hiss through my clenched teeth. Smirking at my reaction, she ran her thumb over the head, spreading the bead of pre-cum, and making my thighs quiver with need.

Finally, _finally_ , she sunk down on my length, slowly taking me into her warm, wet heat, and sweeping us away in a sea of longing and pleasure. Holding onto her hips with both hands, I guided her movements, until she found a rhythm that had both of us panting and groaning in a matter of minutes. Her mouth fell open with a loud cry when I leaned up to take her nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the hardened bud. The feel of her fingers tugging sharply at my hair made me grin against her skin as she continued to rock and swivel her hips over me.

When I felt the telltale tightening in my abdomen, my hand reached out to the place where we were joined, stroking it the way I knew would bring Bella closer to her release. Sure enough, she moaned, shuddering, as soon as I caressed her sensitive bud and pulled my lips back to hers in a fierce kiss.

Only once she'd fallen into my arms, limp and sated, did I allow myself to let go and allow the endless warmth of my orgasm to wash over me, closing my eyes to savor the feeling that would never get old. When I'd managed to regain my bearings, I wrapped my arms tightly around my wife, holding her trembling form tight in my arms, and buried my face in the sweet-smelling curtain of her hair.

We lay there for a while in each other's embrace, content in the peaceful silence.

It wasn't meant to last for long, though.

The sound of a wail rang out from the baby monitor, making us both sigh. Bella fell onto the bed beside me, making a move to get up, but I stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"You rest," I told her. "I'll go."

She cocked an eyebrow at me. "You sure you can handle it?" she teased, biting back a smirk. "Not too tired, are you?"

"Yeah," I said, rolling my eyes as I slipped my discarded pants over my legs. "You fed and changed her before she fell asleep, so I'm pretty sure this is just a false alarm. I'll manage," I told her, mimicking her taunting tone.

"Well, then," she drawled, leaning back against the pillows and getting comfortable. "Hurry back."

"Always."

When I peeked into Ollie's room, sure enough, it was just the way she'd messed up her blanket that was troubling her. I picked up her little grumbling form, adjusting the sheets properly, before depositing her back onto the crib and tucking the blanket snugly around her. She rewarded me with an adorable smile that I couldn't help but return and then kissed the top of her head to wish her a good night. Her eyes closed almost immediately now that the wrinkles weren't there to bother her anymore.

When I returned to my room and found my wife waiting for me in our bed, wearing nothing but an inviting, sultry smile, all I could do was send up a prayer of thanks to whatever higher power was listening. As bumpy as our road had been in the past, it'd brought us to this wonderful time in our lives.

And I wouldn't want it any other way.

* * *

I squeezed Bella's hand, and she returned the gesture with a small smile. Her eyes held the same wistfulness they always did whenever we talked about her Nana. Today, though, there was also a certain apprehension shining in their mahogany depths. I looked at her keenly, silently informing her that I'd be following her cue.

Bella breathed in slowly and held out her arms. I knew what she wanted and didn't hesitate to place Ollie in her arms. I watched with a smile as she buried her face in our daughter's hair, letting her sweet scent wash over her in a calming wave, as she described it.

Ollie giggled at the way Bella's nose tickled her skin, and patted her cheeks in her usual manner that never failed to bring a loving smile to Bella's face. Some of the melancholy left her features, and she kissed Ollie's flushed cheek.

"Let's go," Bella whispered eventually. Her eyes met mine, and I saw no hint of indecision in them. I took her free hand in mine as we started walking toward the back of the park.

Holding her hand firmly in mine, I stayed right by her side and let her guide our pace until we reached our destination. Bella bent at the knees to reach out and run her fingers lightly over the name inscribed on the headstone.

 _Marianne Dorothy Higginbotham_

The green grass fluttered in the gentle wind as we placed Marie's favorite flowers on her grave. Taking a seat on the ground, we were silent for a while, except for the occasional babble from our daughter.

Bella closed her eyes and crushed Ollie to her chest. I watched a couple of tears slip out from the corner of her eyes and make their way down her cheeks, but refrained from wiping them away, letting Bella have the time she needed. I rubbed soothing little circles on her palm, telling her wordlessly that I was always with her.

Eventually, she opened her glistening eyes and slowly turned to the grave.

"Nana," she whispered. "There's someone very important here to see you."

Bella leaned in and held Ollie so that her hand touched the stone. I sat silently and listened as she talked about everything that'd happened in the past year. Ollie was her usual happy self as Bella introduced her to Marie. When she grew impatient in her mother's grasp, she reached out her dimpled little hand toward me. I took it in mine, kissing the back her soft fingers. This seemed to appease her.

"Her first birthday's coming up in a couple of months, Nana," Bella said with a hitch in her voice. "It seems like just yesterday when she screamed and cried her way into our lives. I wish you could've met her, Nana. I wish you could've been here for her birth, her first smile, her first walk, her fir—" She broke off when a hiccup ripped through her chest, and more tears trickled down her face.

This time, I didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side. Bella sobbed into my shirt, as I kissed the top of her head. I held her close for a moment, letting her release the pent-up emotions welling up in her heart.

It was Ollie's bouncing form and piercing chant of "ya-ya-ya" that made Bella pull back with a little laugh. The distraction allowed her to push past her grief. She brushed away her tears and went on to tell Marie about Ollie's latest antics. She even shared my attempts to escape diaper duty.

"Hey!" I complained with a pout. "Don't make me look bad. Don't listen to her, Nana! She has developed a nasty habit of exaggerating things."

Bella chuckled and shook her head. "Fine. It wasn't as bad as that. He has been wonderful and amazingly supportive ever since I found out I was pregnant," she admitted softly, giving me her beautiful smile. "I can't thank you enough for making it so much easier to manage it all, Edward. I know it wasn't always easy on you, either."

I shushed her quickly, letting my lips meet hers in a tender kiss. "You have given me the most precious gift I could ever imagine, Bella," I murmured, placing my hand on Ollie's back. "Helping you through it as much as possible was the least I could do."

We went on to talk about why Bella chose General Surgery as her specialty, how she was faring in her preparations for her Boards, and how the idea of becoming an Attending Surgeon left her nervous, yet enthusiastic.

It was over an hour later that the sun started to go down, and we decided to take our leave.

"We'll come to visit you again soon, Nana," Bella promised. "Keep watching over Ollie." She pressed her lips against her fingers before touching the headstone with them. "I love you, and I miss you every single day. Thank you for everything." She held Ollie's hand up, and our little girl played along, wiggling her fingers in her version of a wave.

When Bella faced me, her lips wore a soft smile. Her eyes looked peaceful, all the trepidation from before now gone. She started to walk toward the gates, expecting me to come along, but I stayed back for a moment. Realizing that I hadn't followed, she turned back in confusion.

I gave her a little smile and turned to place my hand over Marianne's headstone.

"Thank you," I whispered fervently.

The two words didn't seem enough, but that was all I could say through the myriad of emotions brimming inside me.

Marianne was the reason that Bella had found her passion in life. She was the woman who had shaped Bella into the wonderful person, the talented doctor, and the devoted mother that she was today.

I owed her the very best parts of my life.

When I looked up, I found Bella smiling at me - a gentle, understanding smile - which expressed that she knew exactly what I was feeling at the moment. She held out a hand, which I took gratefully. Olivia gave me a sleepy smile, and I couldn't resist pulling her into my arms. Bella laid her head on my shoulder as we retraced our steps to the car.

With my wife by my side and our daughter in my arms, I walked out of the cemetery feeling a sense of gratitude, as peace settled in my heart.

* * *

 **A/N: There you go.**

 **By the way, did anyone catch the** _ **Grey's Anatomy**_ **reference in there? I'd love to know if you did!**

 **A few important points –**

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